Car theft syndicate busted in Quezon City

Operatives of the Central Police District (CPD) have arrested an alleged member of a car theft syndicate and a bukas-kotse suspect in a series of operations carried out this week.

Authorities identified the suspects as Elias Teologo, 46, married, scrap buyer, of 37 Batulao St., Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City and Noriel Flores, 34, alias Boy Peso, jobless, of 62 Anak-bayan St., Barangay Paltok, Quezon City.

Police Chief Inspector Anthony Rodolfo, head of the District Police Intelligence Unit (DPIU), yesterday presented Teologo and Flores to members of the media.

According to Rodolfo, Teologo was arrested last April 18 after police received information on the alleged activities of a car theft syndicate targeting old model cars which cannibalized the cars and sold parts to ready buyers.

DPIU operatives conducted a surveillance and raided Teologo’s house, the gang’s alleged storage place.

Recovered from the suspect were the complete parts of a red ’82 Mitsubishi Lancer, a 125 cc Kawasaki motorcycle (TK 5768), and two boxes full of side mirrors of different car brands.

Rodolfo said the car was reported stolen in Makati last April 6 while the motorcycle, in Novaliches in July last year.

Rodolfo estimated the car parts to be worth P100,000, the motorcycle P25,000, and the side mirrors P10,000.

Teologo earlier admitted to the police that he was a member of a car theft group but his role was merely to store and sell the car parts to ready buyers.

When interviewed by The STAR, however, Teologo denied that he was part of any syndicate, claiming that he got the car parts on a consignment basis and did not know they were stolen.

Teologo added that a car door such as the Mitsubishi Lancer’s can fetch as much as P2,500.

Meanwhile, police arrested Flores earlier this week along Mendoza Street, Barangay Paltok.

When apprehended, the suspect yielded two car stereos, one of which was stolen from an L200 Mitsubishi van (UJA 253) reportedly owned by Estanislao Chopungco of Cainta, Rizal.

A follow-up operation resulted in the recovery of three more car stereos previously sold to unsuspecting buyers.

When asked by The STAR, Flores said that he intended to sell the stereos recovered from him for P1,500 each. He added that this was his second time to be arrested by the police and that he had spent a year in jail for the same offense.

Police are set to file appropriate charges against Flores in the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office while charges of possession of stolen articles have been filed against Teologo.

Rodolfo said that charges of carnapping would be brought against Teologo as soon as the owners of the stolen vehicles file their complaints.