Cops bust gang of cargo thieves

Police busted yesterday a syndicate involved in the theft of expensive cargoes with the arrest of four suspects in a series of follow-up operations from their hideout in Sta. Cruz, Laguna to a fence’s warehouse in Valenzuela City.

The modus operandi of the group, dubbed as "Paatras Gang," involves the diversion of the cargo from the shipper’s warehouse to a contact buyer during transit, according to Manila Police District’s anti-carnapping section chief Senior Inspector Leopoldo Mangilinan.

The arrested suspects were identifed as Jaime Diniay, 31, and his brother Fidel, 23, driver and helper, respectively, of Discovery Haulers, Domingo Martinez Jr., 49, and Mariano Collegio, 35.

Mangilinan formed a team of operatives composed of PO2 Michael Pornillos, PO2 Erickson Peralta and PO2 Julius Garcia following the complaint of Discovery Haulers on the loss of its truck carrying two 20-footer container vans loaded with heavy-duty tractor tires worth P2 million during transit to North Harbor last Oct. 6.

First to fall was Collegio, the alleged tipster of the group, who led police to his companions’ hideout in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. The four suspects then pointed to the fence’s alleged warehouse in Fortune Village, Valenzuela City where the container vans with its tire load were recovered. However, the fence was gone when police arrived.

Mangilinan said the suspects also tried to dismantle the container vans piece by piece to be sold separately as scrap. "This is the method done by the suspects to dispose of the vans and avoid detection," he said.

The suspects said they were promised P200,000 for the delivery of the cargo. However, they said the payment was not yet given since the fence is still looking for buyers of the cargo.

According to the shipper’s representative Roger Favia, the recent theft was the fifth time their cargo have been diverted and stolen. He praised Mangilinan and his men for the solution of the case.

The suspects have been charged with qualified theft, while police are now hunting down the alleged fence after his identity was established.

Mangilinan commended the effort of his operatives for the neutralization of the syndicate.