8-man carjacking group busted

MANILA, Philippines — The Eastern Police District arrested eight members of a carjacking group in four different areas on Friday, with the EPD saying the suspects are linked to various vehicle theft activities.

Operations began when a 20-year-old student sought police assistance on Friday after his motorcycle and cellphone were stolen by four masked men in front of a burger store in Barangay Concepcion Uno in Marikina.

The EPD reported on Saturday that authorities tracked the phone in Barangay 171 in Caloocan using its GPS, leading to the arrest of the first suspect.

Recovered from him were eight different motorcycles, a sedan and an unlicensed 9mm pistol with eight bullets.

The suspect confessed to where the student’s motorcycle was brought, resulting in the arrest of the second and third suspects in Taytay, Rizal, one of whom is a minor.

Five more suspects were arrested in follow-up operations in Pasig and Taguig, with additional motorcycles and another unlicensed pistol seized.

All of them are detained at the male custodial facility of the Marikina City Police Station as they wait for the filing of charges for violations to the New Anti-Carnapping Act of 2016 and the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.