Pasay cops hunt down Holy Week car thieves

The Pasay police force has launched follow-up operations to identify and arrest suspects in recent car theft and carjacking incidents in the city.

This developed after an overseas Filipino worker became the latest victim of car thieves along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City last Sunday night.

Senior Police Officer 4 Arnulfo Hanaban, of the Pasay Anti-Carnapping Unit, identified the victim as Robert Tiocson, 34.

Tiocson parked his silver Toyota Vios (ZBH-570) near a fastfood restaurant along Roxas Boulevard to attend Mass at Baclaran church at around 11:25 p.m.

When the victim returned to the parking area, his car was gone.

The previous night, a 34-year-old businesswoman lost her Ford Escape (ZAV-487) to carjackers who flagged down her vehicle near the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex.

Police probers identified the victim as Catalina Bautista, a resident of Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Bautista said a woman flagged down her vehicle in front of the Folk Arts Theater around 11:45 p.m. She thought the woman needed help so she stopped her vehicle.

As she alighted from her vehicle, two men then appeared and poked a gun at her.

The suspects boarded the vehicle and sped off.

Senior Superintendent Rosendo Franco, Pasay police chief, gave orders to his men to intensify operations to capture the suspects in both incidents.