QC cops arrest 4 car thieves after shootout in New Manila

Policemen arrested four suspected car thieves yesterday following a car chase that ended up in a shootout along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superitendent Nicasio Radovan Jr. identified the suspects as Jaime Longay, Joey Melgar, Mark Abella and Nico John Tiama.

Longay and Melgar were rushed to the De Los Santos Hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

Police said the suspects were onboard an owner-type jeep apparently scouring for a vehicle to steal when they entered the one-way Gilmore Avenue in New Manila shortly before dawn yesterday.

The violation was spotted by a police car patrolling the area.

But before the officers could accost the violator, the jeep sped toward E. Rodriguez Avenue.

One of the suspects opened fire at the police vehicle as the officers gave chase. Policemen returned fire, hitting two of the suspects.

Officers eventually cornered the suspects, who yielded a caliber .38 revolver, knives and an electronic device for hot wiring cars.

The arrest of the four suspects was the third successful police operation against car thieves in the city.

Early this week, a suspect was caught trying to steal an Isuzu Crosswind in Novaliches while a hijacked truck loaded with 800 sacks of rice was recovered the other day.

The renewed crackdown against car thieves was ordered by Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. after the Philippine National Police-Traffic Management Group failed to address the rising number of incidents in residential and commercial districts of the city.

The QCPD has deployed more policemen to crime-prone areas and has mobilized barangay watchmen in the anti-crime drive.

Radovan directed all police stations to take priority action on car theft alarms in their respective areas of jurisdiction.