Motorists are advised to double the locks on their motorcycles even when parked in the parking areas of establishments after the Highway Patrol Group in Central Visayas (HPG-7) recovered a motorcycle stolen from the parking space near the fastfood chains on General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City.
Senior Inspector Michael Gingoyon of HPG-7 and his team were able to recover the stolen motorcycle owned by Jayson Suezo, 28, of Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City on Friday morning.
Suezo’s Honda XRM motor, was stolen at past 1 a.m. on June 3, when he parked his motorcycle for just half an hour to eat in one of the fastfood chains in the area.
Suezo said he was shocked when he could no longer locate his motorcycle and immediately reported the incident to the Fuente Police Station.
Fortunately, police recovered the vehicle on June 15, following the arrest of Danilo Tenebroso, described by Gingoyon as a notorious carnapper in Cebu City.
Tenebroso, 21, of Sitio Riverside, Sambag 2, Cebu City, was arrested by the Fuente police on June 14, for another carnapping case. Also arrested with him was an alleged cohort, Michael Gaston.
Tenebroso admitted to police that he had already stolen more than 20 motorcycles, and he would usually pawn them for just P7,000 to P8,000 to a certain “Tupak,” in Arcadio Quijano Compound, V. Rama Street, Barangay Calamba, Cebu City.
HPG-7 operatives immediately conducted a follow-up operation in Tupak’s place on Friday morning. They were not able to catch Tupak but recovered Suezo’s motorcycle in his shop.
Tupak will face charges for violation of the anti-fencing law, said Gingoyon.
Gingoyon said Tenebroso had admitted to them that he was able to steal Suezo’s motorcycle because it was not double locked.
“Mamili sila if nag-inusara ra ang driver, asa i-park, if di ba makita ra sa tag-iya,” Gingoyon told reporters. (They would usually pick out lone drivers who parked their motorcycles in areas where the owners could not see them.)
Gingoyon said they were still investigating if Tenebroso is part of a crime group. Tenebroso also has previous case involving illegal drugs, he said.
HPG-7 has recorded around 3O incidents of stolen motorcycles in the region every month this year.
They were reminding motorcycle owners to double the locks of their vehicles, install a GPS on it for easy location when lost, and put a chain on its rim.
HPG-7 also plans to visit motorcycle shops to urge them not to buy stolen vehicles or parts of it, as they would surely face charges, too.