Stolen car? Check Highway Patrol Group's Facebook account

MANILA, Philippines - The Highway Patrol Group has turned to Facebook to disseminate information on the stolen vehicles the HPG has recovered.

Spokesman Superintendent Oliver Tanseco said the HPG set up an account, “HPG recovered and impounded motor vehicles,” last month and has been posting photos and descriptions of the vehicles recovered.

“The HPG is now using Facebook account to reach out to people who lost their vehicles. Each regional unit of the HPG has a Facebook account where they are supposed to post information on the vehicles they recovered,” he told reporters in a press briefing.

Tanseco said the HPG-National Capital Region (NCR) recovered about 250 vehicles such as expensive sport utility vehicles, motorcycles and taxis.

Although the license plates may have been changed, Tanseco said motorists can just check other information about the vehicles with the HPG.

He said if motorists fail to find their stolen vehicles on the HPG-NCR’s Facebook account, they can check the other HPG regional units.

Tanseco said owners of stolen vehicles should bring documents proving ownership when they go to the HPG to claim their vehicles.

Tanseco said about 371 motor vehicles and 1,008 motorcycles were stolen in Metro Manila from January to June. He said Central Luzon (Region 3) and Calabarzon (Region 4A) have also reported a significant number of stolen motorcycles.

Although there was an increase in cases of vehicle theft, Tanseco said there was also a significant increase in the number of arrests of suspected car thieves.