Reyes eyes ‘holistic’ approach vs car theft

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes met with representatives of various government and law enforcement agencies to discuss a "holistic approach" in the effort to end car theft and carjacking in the country.

"We want to take a holistic approach. What we want to do is not only to run after carnappers and carjackers, we want to cripple the carjacking industry by not only neutralizing crime groups, but by reducing supply and demand in terms of stolen vehicles and spare parts," Reyes said.

Reyes, concurrent chief of the National Anti-Crime Task Force (NACTAF), presided over a meeting with representatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The Land Transportation Office, Insurance Commission, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue and car manufacturers.

The local government units of Metro Manila were also represented in the meeting held at the DILG office in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

We have seen the worst already. We are now addressing the problem in a more holistic manner and I am confident that we will succeed. Our timetable is that by the end of the Christmas season we shall have reduced carnapping and carjacking to a large extent," Reyes said.

He earlier ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to monitor and stop the sale of auto parts sourced from stolen vehicles.

"We should look at carnapping not only as a criminal activity but an industry, a low-risk, high-profit industry," Reyes said. "So there is a need for us to work together in order to reverse this trend. Let’s make it a high-risk, low-profit industry."

The NACTAF chief also instructed police district and station commanders to conduct constant visits to shops selling second-hand parts.

Records from the PNP’s Traffic Management Group (TMG) showed that only 146 carnapping incidents were reported so far in 2005 compared to 260 in 2004. – Cecille Suerte Felipe