Luxury van owners warned of rising car theft in Pampanga

ANGELES CITY – This city’s police chief has established six checkpoints along all the exit and entry points to this city amid an increasing number of carjacking cases, victimizing owners of four-wheel drive Toyota Hilux and Fortuner vans here and in other towns in Pampanga.

In neighboring Mabalacat town, another Hilux pick-up van was carjacked at about 3 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Atlu Bola, the local police said. They declined to give more details about the incident though.

Last January, apparently the same suspects wielding baby Armalite rifles also carted away another van in the town.

Yesterday’s incident was the eighth carjacking case in Pampanga since last January.

Police officials have warned owners of Toyota Hilux and Fortuner vehicles to take precautions as the two vehicles are now known targets of carjackers.

Pampanga police director Senior Superintendent Keith Singian confirmed the rise in car theft cases, particularly Hilux and Fortuner vans, saying a syndicate seems to be "filling up orders" from its customers.

Angeles police director Senior Superintendent Sonny Cunanan said three Hilux trucks have been carjacked since December.

The latest victim in Angeles was Regional Trial Court Judge Angelina Quiambao, whose Hilux was blocked and driven away by suspects wielding two baby Armalite rifles and a pistol near her home at Villa Teresa here last Saturday.

"Two other cases apparently perpetrated by the same group last December also victimized Hilux vehicle owners," Cunanan said.

A source from the police’s Traffic Management Group cited "indications that the carjacked vehicles were being brought to Mindanao where they are sold at low cost to politicians who intend to use them for campaigning in remote, mountainous areas." The source made the disclosure on condition of anonymity.

"Hilux and Fortuner vehicles are good for rough terrain," the source said.