AGENTS of the Regional Highway Patrol Unit 4-A this week arrested a 25-year old mechanic believed to be a member of a gang of motorcycle thieves during an entrapment operation in Taytay, Rizal, a report to Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group director, Brigadier General Alexander C. Tagum said yesterday.
RHPU4-A director, Lt. Col. Samson Belmonte said the suspect he identified as John Randel Francisco is facing criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 10883 or the New Anti-Carnapping Act of 2016 and Presidential Decree 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law.
Belmonte said the suspect was arrested after the Rizal Provincial Highway Patrol Team received a tip regarding the presence of a group of motorcycle thieves selling stolen motorbikes in Rizal thru the ‘Mio Nation’ buy-and-sell group on Facebook.
His men launched the operation which started with an undercover officer supposedly wanting to buy two motorcycles from the suspect.
Belmonte said that around 7 p.m. last Wednesday, the suspect and the poseur met at the KFC Taytay branch where the latter was arrested.
Recovered from the suspect were a Yamaha Mio Sporty stolen in Meycauayan City, Bulacan on October 12, 2019 and given fake registration papers and a Yamaha Mio Sporty with plate no. 3975 WJ without any documents.
The first motorbike’s Engine Number E31TE0032213 and Chassis Number PA0SEF210J0032279 matched those of the stolen motorcycle of one Reynaldo Montalban in Meycauayan City.
The suspect, a resident of 4th Street, Purok 18, Javier Compound, Barangay San Juan in Taytay is now being held at the Rizal PHPT headquarters.
