PNP claims to have broken up big car theft group

MANILA, Philippines—The  Philippine National Police announced Friday it has  “broken the backbone” of a carjacking syndicate believed responsible for some 20 percent of all carjacking and car theft cases in Metro Manila, following a series of operations in Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro.

PNP Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome said he was confident that the neutralization of the Baktin carnapping group, among the top five car theft syndicates, would lead to a “significant reduction” in carjacking and car theft cases in the country.

His announcement made no reference, however, to any arrests of syndicate members.

Bartolome said the PNP’s  Highway Patrol Group led by Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina successfully scattered the members of the Baktin group with the seizure and recovery of 23 stolen motor vehicles in Bacolod City and six more in Cagayan de Oro City.

He said follow-up operations were now underway to recover more stolen motor vehicles that had been shipped by the syndicate to the Visayas and Mindanao.

Investigators said the modus operandi of the Baktin group involved actual carjacking of the vehicles in Luzon, shipment and tampering of vehicle identification numbers, processing of spurious vehicle registration documents and eventual resale of these stolen vehicles to unsuspecting buyers in Visayas and Mindanao.

Bartolome issued an appeal to the public “to be very cautious when buying used motor vehicles.”

“Carnapping syndicates are known to use this facility to pass off stolen motor vehicles to unsuspecting buyers. Check with HPG first before putting your investment on a second-hand motor vehicle,” he said.

Bartolome said he had directed the HPG is to sustain the momentum of its thrust against car thefts and highway robberies, and to ensure road safety on the country’s major thoroughfares.