Police recover 16 carnapped vehicles

February 4, 2011

CAMP OLIVAS — Police showed to the media Thursday at least 16 carnapped vehicles recovered from alleged safe houses of the Dominguez carnap group in Pampanga.
Aside from the 16 new model cars, a motorcycle, 15 engines and other car parts were also recovered from the group’s safe houses in the cities of San Fernando and Angeles, as well as the towns of Mexico and Mabalacat.

Philippine National Police (PNP)-Central Luzon Director Alan Purisima said the vehicles were recovered through search warrants that were issued following the abduction and murder of car dealers Emerson Lozano and Venson Evangelista.

“We’re still… conducting investigation and police operations to arrest the remaining suspects identified in the murder and carnapping cases,” Purisima said.
The recovered vehicles will be returned to their registered owners, which the police have already identified through information from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Dominguez group
Roger Dominguez and his brother Raymond are the suspected leaders of a huge carnapping group in Manila but have recently moved operations in provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.
Purisima said the Dominguez brothers, along with their men, steal an average of 20-30 vehicles a month.
“At times, they get to steal one vehicle per day which only means they are a huge and strong group and can operate whenever, wherever,” Purisima said.

Vehicles found at the safe houses were not probably sold immediately, he added.
He said they are looking into possible connections of the carnap group to licensing agencies, particularly the LTO.
Though the leaders were already arrested, Purisima said the carnap group is not totally busted yet.

Four days
Highway Patrol Group (HPG)-Central Luzon Director Sheldon Jacaban said the Rodriguez carnap group was able to clear papers of the stolen vehicles in four days.
“In four days, the group secures an official receipt and certificate of registration from the LTO then they either change or tamper the plate number. That makes the vehicle ‘clean’ or ready for sale,” Jacaban said.
However, he said it would take eight days before the carnap vehicle be included in the master list of stolen vehicles that all HPG across the country can access.
“As soon as an owner reports that his car is stolen, we flash a hold order to all HPG units. When the owner has submitted all the requirements to prove that he truly owns the stolen vehicle, then we record it as a confirmed carnap vehicle,” Jacaban said.
Purisima said they would push for a faster recording of carnap vehicles to the HPG’s master list. (Charlene Cayabyab)

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/police-recover-16-carnapped-vehicles