Man steals Range Rover from dealer

MANILA, Philippines - A man drove away with a sport utility vehicle (SUV) from a car dealership after he posed as a buyer Sunday afternoon.

Senior Police Officer 1 Rogelio Basbas said the stolen brand new Range Rover was worth P8.8 million.

According to Police Officer 1 Ferdinand Miranda of the Highway Patrol Group, the man drove up to the car dealership in Barangay White Plains, Quezon City in a Lexus with a congressional plate.

The brand new Lexus was reportedly stolen from another dealership in Taguig City three weeks ago.

Jonathan Menina, an employee of the dealership owned by Amado Mady, told police the suspect introduced himself as Kenneth Ocampo and posed as a buyer who had shown interest in getting the Rover Sunday morning.

He said the suspect returned at around 3 p.m. and gave a check for P2.5 million and inspected the Rover, after which he took the SUV for a test drive, accompanied by employee Antonio Idanan. The suspect did not arrive in a Lexus when he returned to the dealership, Basbas said.

When they reached a gas station at the corner of EDSA and Connecticut Avenue in San Juan City, the suspect told Idanan to buy coffee. As Idanan got out, the suspect sped away, Basbas said. – Reinir Padua, Cecille Suerte Felipe