Nine Arrested in Thefts of Bonds

LAS VEGAS —  Nine people have been arrested and authorities have seized $1 million worth of municipal bonds stolen last year from a Los Angeles bank, officials said.

FBI spokesman George Togliatti said federal agents, Las Vegas police and state parole and probation officers made the arrests after meeting with the suspects at a hotel Friday. The bonds were stolen in July from a Security Pacific National Bank branch in Los Angeles. The bonds seized were about half of $2 million in bonds lost in the theft.

The nine people arrested without incident were believed to be part of a crime organization made up of Filipinos or Filipino-Americans. Togliatti said the group operated out of Los Angeles, but some of the suspects may be from Las Vegas. Authorities also seized nearly a dozen weapons from the suspects.

He said the suspects would be charged with interstate transport of stolen property, conspiracy and aiding and abetting. Additional charges were pending.

Those arrested were Jesus Yamang, 46; Jose Nubla Ching, 41; Manuel Murciano, 50; Celestino Saulog, 47; Jesse Bonifacio Jr., 37; Bonafacio Garcia, 38; Marcos Salvador, 33; Daniel Metiam, 30, and Jaime Iturralde, 33. The suspects’ hometowns were not available.