Thursday, June 3, 2010

Three carnap suspects fall in Pagadian


(FOR ZAMPENEWS)

THREE carnapping suspects were arrested a day after the alarm was raised by residents over the rampant stealing of motorcycles believed to be carried out by a minor-league carnap group based here.

Two suspects were detained, identified by P/Insp. Inspector Romel Sawatang, deputy chief of police of the Labangan Police Station, as brothers Jerome and Jeffrey Flores, both residents of Barangay Langapod, Labangan.

They were arrested dawn of Wednesday, when they passed by a checkpoint in Brgy. Tapodoc, Labangan riding a carnapped Honda XRM owned by a military man residing in Dao, this city.

A third companion identified as James Marinao, A.K.A. James Padilla Lamyon, a resident of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte, escaped but was arrested the same day by police operatives in Purok Villarin, Banale District, this city.

A follow-up operation by joint police forces also led to the recovery of a Yamaha DT with plate JE 7157 kept inside the house of a certain Otik Apyag in Brgy. Danlugan.

This Yamaha DT, it was learned, was owned by SPO1 Jacaria Hasim Amad, a policeman from Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay who reported that his motor was carnapped last April.

After their arrest, the suspects admitted to the police that they were the ones responsible for stealing several Honda XRMs parked in separate places in Pagadian.

They further claimed that the stolen motors were already delivered to their “customers” in Maigo and Kolambugan in Lanao del Norte for P5,000 each.

It was also learned that the Honda XRM the suspects were riding when they were arrested, bearing plate JD 4430, is owned by one T/Sgt. Jose Mote Agatea.

For his part, City Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo said Marinao and company form one of the two carnap groups operating in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.

The police official added that the second group is based in the neighboring Misamis Occidental as he urged the public to be vigilant always and be responsible enough to guard their vehicles from thieves by parking this in secure areas.

In a conversation with PNP Provincial Director Sr/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena, he commended the joint efforts of the Labangan and Pagadian policemen for their accomplishment.

Ochotorena reiterated Palermo’s advice while adding his: Always park motor vehicles in secured places; check the area where you parked against suspicious looking people; install alarm and safety devices when possible or install hidden master switch and never leave your motor unattended while the engine is on.

To recall, since April 4 until May 31, there were already 25 carnapped motorcycles reported in the city police blotter, mostly involving the expensive Honda XRM.

Out of the 25 stolen, 8 were recovered by the police while 2 were recovered by the owners but not reported to their office. Another 10 motorcycles were repossessed early this week while the city police are still conducting follow-up operations to retrieve the remaining 5, Palermo said.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION

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