QC cops catch car plate fence

The Quezon City Police District last Wednesday afternoon arrested a man who allegedly serves as a buyer of stolen car plates.

Suspect Rafael Castillo, 41, was arrested by operatives of the Quezon City Police District-Station 10 near the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on East Avenue based on a tip of an informant. He was carrying stolen and counterfeit plates.

QCPD-Station 10 chief Superintendent Aspirinio Cabula sad Castillo was arrested with Leo Susing, who reportedly acts as a “middle man” between Castillo and those looking for license plates.

According to Cabula, Castillo allegedly caters to those driving smuggled and stolen vehicles. These car users, which Cabula said include criminal groups, approach Castillo looking for “car plates that match their vehicles.”

Cabula said Castillo would then tap street children to steal license plates from cars that “closely resemble” the buyer’s vehicle. They would then alter a numeral or letter on the plate.

 “So if you would not check the license plate and its papers, one would not notice that the plate had been tampered or that the vehicle is actually a hot car,” he added.

Cabula said Castillo buys each pair of plates from the street children for P1,000 and resells them for at least P2,000.

As for the papers to back up the stolen plates, Cabula said Castillo has ties with fixers at the LTO. Some of these fixers have been arrested recently.

Cabula said Castillo’s arrest goes to the root of the problem of license plate theft in their jurisdiction.

He cited that from March to May this year, at least five incidents of license plate theft were recorded every week in their jurisdiction. – Reinir Padua