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Vehicle theft in the country has significantly
decreased during the past two years, statistics from the Philippine
National Police (PNP)-Highway Patrol Group show.
The National police cited several
factors for the decrease, including its relentless effort to run
after syndicates responsible for vehicle theft.
From January to July 2008, the
National police recorded 647 cases of vehicle theft, of which 291
involved motor vehicles and 356 motorcycles.
This year’s figure is lower
compared to the same period in 2007, where the National police
tallied 994 cases: 529 motor vehicles and 465 motorcycles.
For the whole of 2007, the
National police recorded 1,659 cases: 857 motor vehicles and 602
motorcycles.
In 2006, there were 2,082 cases:
897 motor vehicles and 1,185 motorcycles.
The data from the National police
indicated that most of the cases involved theft of parked vehicles,
while only a small percentage involved vehicle theft at gunpoint.
Highway patrol Spokesperson,
Police Supt. Erwin Rey Butacan, acknowledged the significant drop of
vehicle theft cases to the capability of his unit to track down
syndicates producing falsified Land Transportation Office (LTO)
documents for stolen vehicles.
“Some LTO and PNP officials
conniving with the syndicates have been investigated and charged in
court,” Butacan told The Manila Times.
Butacan, also the head of the
Central Motor Vehicle Clearance Office at Camp Crame, said the
decrease in vehicle theft can be attributed to the enforcement of
the “no plate, no travel policy” by the patrol group.
Likewise, the National police
noted that the periodic inspection of auto supply shops has dented
the operations of syndicates involved in vehicle theft.
The patrol group also recovered
more than a hundred stolen luxury motor vehicles in Luzon that were
brought and registered in Cebu, Davao, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro and
other parts of Mindanao and Visayas since February of this year.
--Maricel V. Cruz
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