Thieves use van to steal cop's motorbike

MANILA, Philippines –  A policeman, whose motorcycle was stolen while it was parked in front of his house in Valenzuela City yesterday, warned the public to be on alert for motorists driving closed vans around their neighborhood.

Police Officer 1 Alinder Datuharam, 35, assigned to the city’s Police Community Precinct 9, reported the theft at the police station’s investigation unit.

Investigator SPO2 Ritchie Garcia said Datuharam parked his Honda XRM 125 (5534-NM) in front of his house on Bonifacio street, Arty Subdivision at around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

At around 1 a.m. yesterday, Datuharam’s wife, Sanipa, was roused from sleep by noises outside their house. When she looked out, she said the motorcycle was already missing. A closed van was reportedly seen in their neighborhood before the motorcycle went missing.

Unconfirmed reports said some car theft groups have resorted to “new creative options,” including the use of closed vans, to steal motorcycles parked unattended outside residences, especially during the wee hours of the morning.

“It is possible but there is no definite proof,” Senior Superintendent Eric Serafin Reyes told The STAR. He advised vehicle owners, particularly those without garages of their own, to “park in a secured area” and install devices that would make their vehicles difficult to steal.