Some of the recovered stolen motorcycles from the Tabuelan raids are parked at the Cebu Provincial Police Office. (CDN PHOTO APPLE MAE TA-AS)
Cops nab teen, 3 men; recover 25 motorbikes
Police busted a syndicate stealing motorcycles in Cebu and Cebu City after raiding three houses in Tabuelan town in northern Cebu last Friday and Saturday.
Police recovered 25 stolen motorcycles and arrested four persons after the raids.
Cebu Provincial Police Chief Noel Gillamac said yesterday that Nelson Moniva Jr., 24, Jerry de la Cerna, 18, and a 16-year-old boy, who were arrested in the police operation on Friday, were the brains behind the motorcycle-stealing syndicate.
Another suspect, Ronel Moniva, 28, was also arrested on Saturday after police conducted a follow up operation in barangay Bongon in Tabuelan. They raided Ronel’s house and confiscated another stolen motorcycle.
“Based on our observations, they usually victimize individuals who parked motorcycles and would wait for them to get distracted before stealing the unit,” Gillamac said.
He said the group was well organized. Some members steal the motorcycles while other members disassemble them and assemble them right back, swapping the parts of other stolen motorcycles.
He said the group even has ready buyers for these motorcycles.
Most of the recovered motorcycles were mostly disassembled pieces of Honda and Skygo brands. Also recovered during last Friday’s raid were motorcycle wheels, gasoline tanks, chassis and mufflers.
Rey Mangas from Danao City was one of those who went to the CPPO office to claim his motorcycle. He identified a motorcycle among those recovered from the suspects.
He said he lost his motorcycle that he parked in front of his store in Danao City last Oct. 12.
He said he noticed that most of the parts of his motorcycle were transferred to another unit.
“Those who claimed (the stolen motorcycles) are coming from the north. We do believe that the carnapping activity is also present here in Cebu City. That is why we invited the regional crime laboratory to conduct macro-etching to determine the engine and chassis number to know as well if the units are carnapped,” he said.
Gillamac yesterday said the police raids were part of the “Lambat-Sibat” operation initiated by the Department of Interior and Local Government.