Help of Thai police sought for arrest of car theft head

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said authorities have already coordinated with the Thai police and other international police groups in going after suspected car theft ring leader Ryan “Baktin” Yu who has remained a fugitive more than a month after a P5-million bounty was offered for his arrest.

“Baktin (Yu) is in Thailand and we already got in touch with the Thai police as to his arrest,” Duterte said.

Duterte said he has also put up a bounty of $20,000 for anyone who could arrest Yu abroad.

“I do not know if the Thai police would accept the bounty. It is up to them,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Arazzad Subong, Highway Patrol Group director, confirmed reports that Yu indeed left for Bangkok last Oct. 23 and did not come home as expected.

Yu was tagged as the leader of a car theft syndicate operating in Mindanao blamed for the more than 50 stolen vehicles that were recovered in a series of raids in the cities of Davao, General Santos, Butuan, Tagum, Tandag and Surigao recently.

A long-time driver of Yu, Mark Daquiado, 26, has given himself up, as Yu’s cohorts are being hunted down, too.

Daquiado has reportedly been Yu’s driver since 2010 and has been in-charge of processing documents for the stolen vehicles.

Daquiado opted to be in the custody of the Davao City police, as he feared for his safety.