4 motorbike thieves arrested

MANILA, Philippines - Four self-confessed motorcycle thieves were arrested one after the other yesterday after a colleague earlier nabbed by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) squealed on them.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele identified the suspects as businessman Demetrio Caro, 42; student Jerry James Pangan, 19; driver Rommel Santiago, 26; and self-employed Gibbrael Arcega, 21.

District Police Intelligence and Operating Unit (DPIOU) chief Chief Inspector Rodrigo Bauto said his office received intelligence reports about the group believed to be involved in a string of motorcycle thefts in Quezon City.

A team verified and confirmed the report and set a buy-bust operation on Nov. 16.

Police Officer 2 Jocel Calvario posed as buyer and made a deal with Arcega who offered him a color yellow Yamaha Mio Soul motorcycle with plate number ZS 9374. The vehicle, however, turned out to have no Certificate of Registration and Official Receipt.

Arcega later pointed to Caro as his financier. During his arrest, police officers seized a .45 Colt handgun tucked into Caro’s waistband, a .9mm Glock pistol on a table in his house, several gun replicas, and air soft rifles and pistols. Police have yet to verify whether the seized guns are licensed.

Arcega’s arrest resulted in the apprehension of Santiago, who yielded a Honda Wave motorcycle without plates, believed to be stolen.

Santiago identified Pangan as belonging to their group. Police officers recovered from Pangan a Suzuki Raider motorcycle with an improvised license plate number and with defaced chassis number.

Police officers are tracking down a certain Kit, whom the four suspects identified as the leader of their group.