More car thieves hunted

Operatives of the Traffic Management Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are now hunting down other members of the Madrigal car theft syndicate whose leader was arrested over the weekend.

TMG reported that the Madrigal Group has five members, who have their respective "spotters" or those looking for prospective vehicles to be stolen and "operatives" who take the vehicles.

TMG director Chief Superintendent Augusto Angcanan announced the arrest of 27-year-old Randy Madrigal, the alleged leader of the group, during an operation in his hometown in Barangay Sto. Cristobal, Bangar town in La Union.

"We believe that the Madrigal Group will lay low with the arrest of its leader. We will try to get all its members," a TMG operative said.

Aside from the Madrigal Group, TMG has been hunting the Henzon Group with four active members and the Lagman group with 12 members, who were reportedly operating in Metro Manila and nearby regions of Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

The arrest of one of the notorious leaders of the syndicate was in compliance with the two-week deadline given to authorities to rid Metro Manila of car thieves.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes gave the ultimatum as concurrent chief of the newly formed National Anti-Crime Task Force (NACTAF).

Angcanan said measures have been set up to arrest car thieves and prevent them from carrying out their illegal activities.

TMG reported that Metro Manila remains the haven of car theives because of the presence of many motor vehicles parked unattended in unguarded areas, lack of police visibility and sheer number of vehicles plying Metro Manila at any given time.

TMG appealed to owners of stolen cars to immediately report incidents for a high possibility of recovery.

Angcanan also appealed to the public to help them track down car thieves by reporting to authorities suspicious activities in their community.

The TMG chief noted that the Quezon City Police District were able to traced the vacant lot where stolen vehicles were being cannibalized after residents reported the suspicious activities in the area to barangay officials, who in turn sought police assistance.