The suspects were identified as Cesar Blas, 31, Manuel Landicho, 44, Danilo Marcos, 36, Bernard Agrate, 32, Segred Luna, 22, Arnel Victoria, 39, Rey Gomez, 42, and Jose de Guzman, 41.
According to Inspector Napoleon Batayan, chief of the Malabon police Station Investigation Branch (SIB), six motorcycles and two tricycles were recovered from the group.
Officers-on-case SPO2 Carlito Espiritu and PO2 Peter Rios said the suspects were apprehended in their respective houses in Malabon and Navotas.
Rios said authorities have been watching the group for over a month now after they received several complaints of missing vehicles in Malabon.
Policemen conducted simultaneous operations in Barangays Tonsuya, Tañong, and Longos, Malabon, and in Barangay San Jose in Navotas.
The eight suspects were arrested before midnight, while the missing tricycles and motorcycles were recovered from the group’s safehouses in Tonsuya and Longos.
The suspects are now detained at the Malanon police detention cell as they await charges of violations of the anti-car theft law to be filed against them. – Matthew Estabillo