NPDO holds anti-car theft seminar

The Northern Police District Office, alarmed by the surge of car theft in the northern part of Metro Manila, held a two-day seminar to come up with measures in battling syndicates targeting mostly motorcycles.

Superintendent Alfred Corpus, NPDO-District Intelligence and Investigation Division chief, said that from January to October, the DIID recorded a total of 136 car theft cases in the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area.

Of teh total, 104 were motorcycles, and 32 were cars or vans.

Valenzuela City reported the most number of incidents with 47 motorcycles and 12 cars. It was followed by Caloocan City with 38 motorcycles and 11 cars.

Malabon City had 18 motorcycles and eight cars stolen while Navotas posted the lowest number of cases with only one motorcycle and one car stolen.

Of the stolen vehicles, only 10 cars and 17 motorcycles, or a total of 27, were recovered and returned to owners.

"Though the number is not that high, I think we still need to refocus in our anti-carnapping drive," Corpus told The STAR.

He said that car theft incidents in Camanava occur mostly in the evening, from 8 to midnight.

The two-day seminar workshop, held at the NPDO last Tuesday and Wednesday, was attended by Camanava officers, the Manila police, the Quezon City police, the Bulacan police, led by Superintendent Ferdinand Sevilla, the Land Transportation Office, represented by Wilma Ramirez, and Superintendent Napoleon Pascua of the Traffic Management Group.

Preventive and neutralization measures against car thieves were also formulated during the workshop, Corpus said.

He said at least two car theft groups operating in the northern metropolis and adjacent localities and their alleged financiers were identified during the workshop.