Two rental car thieves nabbed

Two car thieves, victimizing rent-a-car businesses, were arrested by agents of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in separate operations last Tuesday in Metro Manila.

Senior Superintendent Raul Medina, head of the NCRPO regional investigation and detective management (RIDM), said it took them at least a month of surveillance before they cornered the suspects identified as Recaredo Enriquez and Salvacion de la Passion.

Enriquez, alias Enrique Garcia, was arrested at the Harrison Plaza shopping complex in Adriatico, Malate while De la Passion, alias Milagros Lim and Alma Paulite Sale, also a realtor, was nabbed at a house on McKinley street in Makati City.

According to Medina, the modus operandi of Enriquez and De la Passion was to go to rent-a-car office and pretend to rent a luxury vehicle for a long period of time.

He said the suspects would present or submit fake documents, including Philippine passports and utility bills before paying the agreed rental fees.

After getting the vehicle, the suspects would disappear, Medina said.

Last May 6, Medina said Edgar Besonia, owner of a rent-a-car office located at the Automobile depot on Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City and Noel Odrada, of Makati City appeared at his office to file a formal complaint against Enriquez and De la Passion.

After several days of surveillance operations, NCRPO chief Director Vidal Querol directed Medina to arrest the two suspects, whose whereabouts had been traced.

Enriquez and De la Passion were taken to the NCRPO headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City for proper investigation.

Medina said Enriquez and De la Passion chose to remain silent over the charges against them.

"Ayaw nilang magsalita tungkol sa kaso," Medina said.

He said charges for violation of provisions of the anti-carnapping law and Passport Act were filed against De la Passion before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office. A bail bond of P100,000 was recommended for her temporary liberty.

Medina is preparing criminal charges against Enriquez before the Pasig City prosecutor’s office.

Medina said they have identified the cohorts of Enriquez and De la Passion and are now tracking them down. — Non Alquitran