MANILA, Philippines - Policemen raided Wednesday night a warehouse in Bulacan reportedly used by a carjacking syndicate and recovered two Asian utility vehicles recently stolen in Quezon City.
Operatives of the Quezon City Police District also arrested two mechanics at the warehouse who were allegedly in the process of tampering with the vehicles’ chassis and license plates.
Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr., chief of the QCPD’s District Police Intelligence Operating Unit, said they believe the Madrigal Group, reportedly headed by Edwin Madrigal, uses the warehouse as a “stopover” for stolen vehicles before they are transported and re-sold in the provinces in the Visayas.
“There were fake license plates at the warehouse, registration documents and other car spare parts ready to be installed in the vehicles so their identities as stolen cars would be concealed,” Pedrozo told The STAR in an interview.
Chief Inspector Dario Añasco Jr., head of the Anti-Carnapping Section of the QCPD-DPIOU, said they received a tip that two vehicles stolen in Quezon City last Sunday were brought to Barangay Burol in Balagtas, Bulacan.
Añasco said two Isuzu Sportivos owned by Maria Helen Ucang and Jepthe Agsunod were stolen in separate incidents.
“When we tailed one of the vehicles and went inside the warehouse and conducted the apprehension, we even saw inside the facility a map of Quezon City,” Añasco said, noting that the carjack group had indeed targeted vehicles in the city.
Añasco identified the arrested mechanics as Mac Reyes, 50, and Reno Javier, 29, who he said are facing charges of car theft. He said Ucang and Agsunod identified the stolen Sportivos as theirs.
Añasco said they are still determining the identity of the owner of the warehouse, who he said could also face charges.
Pedrozo said they also found a Toyota Prado, Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Safari, Isuzu Crosswind, a Volkswagen vehicle, and an Isuzu Hi-lander at the warehouse. He said they are still verifying with the Land Transportation Office if these are also stolen vehicles.
According to Pedrozo, they also found an Isuzu Elf truck loaded with spare parts they believe had been removed from the stolen vehicles.