Low price leads HPG to stolen car

MANILA, Philippines - Highway Patrol Group (HPG) police officers recovered a stolen Toyota Innova after the man selling it offered it at only P200,000 or 10 percent of the market price for a secondhand Innova, an official said yesterday.

HPG director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Center relayed to the HPG that Michael Rivera had offered to sell the Innova for P200,000 to a confidential agent. A previously owned Innova is usually sold at P900,000 to P1.2 million.

The HPG secured a warrant from Quezon City Judge Maria Filomena Singh to search Rivera’s house in West Fairview, and found the Innova (ZAB-443) Thursday night. Police said Rivera was not around when the search warrant was served.

The car, registered to Mary Angeli Salinas, was stolen while parked unattended in front of the Fiesta Villa Rosa along Marcos Highway in Marikina City on June 9.

Espina called on the public to be careful when buying previously owned vehicles since many carjackers resort to selling stolen cars at very low prices.