Thieves hide in fish stall for 3 hours, steal S/90,000 from VES market

A brazen robbery at the Juan Velasco Alvarado market in Villa el Salvador has left merchants reeling after five assailants made off with S/90,000. The criminals executed a meticulously planned heist, entering the market premises on Tuesday evening and concealing themselves within a fish stall for three hours before striking the administrative office.

The theft occurred late Tuesday night, just as the market was closing. Security footage shows the group entering the premises around 7:50 p.m. and remaining hidden until they could access the administrative office, where the substantial sum was being temporarily held. The stolen money represented a collection from merchants intended for urgent infrastructure improvements.

Adding to the merchants' distress is the fact that the funds had not yet been deposited into a bank account due to administrative delays. This detail has fueled suspicions of internal complicity, with traders believing someone with knowledge of the financial procedures leaked information about the money's location.

"It's everyone's money. From the income of the restrooms, the contributions of each associate, and from daily work," stated one affected merchant, appealing directly to the police general for action. The robbers reportedly used cutting tools and communication systems, suggesting a high level of coordination. Despite attempts to obscure their identities, multiple security cameras captured footage of the incident, which is now under investigation.

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It's everyone's money. From the income of the restrooms, the contributions of each associate, and from daily work. I call on General of the police Felipe Monroy, who is a resident of the district of Villa el Salvador. Do your job and capture these criminals.