2 motorcycle thieves killed in Quezon City shootout

MANILA, Philippines - Two alleged motorcycle thieves were killed in what police said was a shootout an hour after they used the vehicle they had stolen to rob a woman in Quezon City at dawn yesterday.

Police have yet to identify the slain suspects. But the motorcycle they used in the robbery in Barangay Doña Imelda was said to be the one they forcibly took from a man in Barangay Santol, said Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Senior Superintendent Richard Albano.

Albano said the owner of the motorcycle, Ryan Abayan, tagged the two suspects as the same men who took his vehicle at gunpoint.

Police said they recovered from the slain suspects two caliber .45 pistols.

Superintendent Norberto Babagay, commander of QCPD Station11, said the suspects held up Mary Grace Beltran in Barangay Doña Imelda at 1:25 a.m., or barely an hour after they stole Abayan’s motorcycle (8920-OR).

Abayan immediately reported the incident to the police, prompting Babagay to dispatch his men to intercept the fleeing suspects.

Patrolling policemen then chanced upon the motorcycle-riding suspects while divesting Beltran of her bag containing money and other valuables.

Police said the suspects opened fire at the approaching lawmen, triggering a shootout that resulted in the suspects’ death.

Babagay said the suspects detached the motorcycle’s license plate before pulling off the robbery apparently to mislead the authorities.