A joint tactical operation by police from Chapala and Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos led to the rapid capture of a five-man gang pegged for an early morning hold-up at the Ajijic branch of Farmacias Guadalajara on Monday, March 31.
According to police chief Ramón del Arco, the bandits charged into the drug store around 5:30 a.m., with one individual holding employees at gun point while his accomplices snatched a load of controlled medicines off the shelves. The thieves fled the scene aboard a taxi cab.
Following a radio alert sent out to active units in Chapala and neighboring communities, the getaway car was spotted speeding off the Libramiento bypass towards Guadalajara. Police followed in hot pursuit, finally thwarting the escape on the outskirts of Ixtlahuacan.
Once in custody, the suspects were fully identified by the hold-up victims. Officers recovered the stolen drugs and a fake pistol used in the heist as additional evidence. The case is now in the hands of state prosecutors.
