The short version
- Primera Hora reported that on Thursday morning a safe with an undetermined amount of cash, gold jewelry and diamonds was stolen from a residence in Mansiones del Sur, Ponce
- The same theft included a 2022 blue Mazda CX-5 with license plate JXI-345, according to Primera Hora
- El Vocero reported that on Wednesday at 2:45 a.m. a gas station in Salinas was broken into and a safe belonging to Ranger company containing $7,253 was taken
- Thieves at the Salinas station also took cash from gambling machines and security cameras, El Vocero reported
Two separate incidents
Police received a report Thursday morning of a break-in at a residence in the Mansiones del Sur urbanization in Ponce. Primera Hora reported that an undetermined amount of cash along with gold jewelry and diamonds was taken from a safe inside the home. The incident also involved the theft of a 2022 blue Mazda CX-5 bearing license plate JXI-345. Agent Omar Vázquez conducted the preliminary investigation and referred the case to the Ponce Stolen Vehicles Division.
In a separate incident, agents responded to an alarm at a TotalEnergies gas station on PR-1, kilometer 87.5, in the Coco Viejo sector of Salinas. El Vocero reported that the break-in occurred around 2:45 a.m. Wednesday after an ADT alarm alert. The main door had been forced open, gambling machines were tampered with and cash was taken from them along with security cameras.
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Safe and investigation details
According to El Vocero, the safe that was removed belonged to the Ranger company and held $7,253 in cash. The case was referred to the Robbery, Extortion, Property, Assault and Missing Persons Division of the Criminal Investigation Corps in Guayama, whose agents are continuing the investigation to identify those responsible.
Both reports indicate that the circumstances remain under investigation and that no arrests have been announced. The Ponce case focuses on a residential theft while the Salinas incident targeted a commercial establishment.
Where the sources differ
Both Primera Hora and El Vocero describe break-ins involving the theft of safes, but the incidents occurred in different municipalities on different days. Primera Hora reported an undetermined amount of cash and jewelry taken from a Ponce home on Thursday morning along with a vehicle. El Vocero reported a specific $7,253 amount taken from a safe at a Salinas gas station on Wednesday along with cash from gambling machines and security cameras. The agencies handling the investigations also differ, with Ponce’s Stolen Vehicles Division and Guayama’s REPAPD division respectively.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether the two incidents are believed to be connected. No descriptions of the suspects, possible motives, estimated total value of items taken in Ponce, or any video or physical evidence recovered have been released. It is also unclear if the stolen vehicle from Ponce has been located or if any security footage from either scene survived the theft of cameras.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Hurtan caja fuerte con dinero, prendas y diamantes en Ponce
- Reporting Fuerzan entrada y hurtan caja fuerte en gasolinera de Salinas
How we checked this
Primera Hora covered the Ponce residential theft while El Vocero covered the Salinas gas station break-in. Details such as the exact cash amount and the company name of the safe in Salinas rest solely on the El Vocero account; the Ponce jewelry description and vehicle information rest on the Primera Hora account.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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