Chances better for recovery of stolen vehicles

MANILA, Philippines—The odds appear better now for victims of car thefts to recover their vehicles— if police figures are accurate.

Three out of every four cars reported stolen in the first six months of the year were recovered by the police, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said in a report.

Of 414 car thefts recorded from January to June 15, 317 were retrieved in police operations, particularly by the Highway Patrol Group, according to the DILG’s accomplishment report for July 2010 to July 2011.

This was a stark improvement from the recovery rate of just 16 percent for the same period last year when only 156 vehicles were retrieved out of 946 thefts, Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said.

The number of car thefts itself decreased by more than half, from 946 in the first six months of 2010 to 414 for the same period this year, the report said.

The DILG, which exercises supervisory powers over the PNP, attributed the improved car recovery rate to a “revitalized” HPG, currently under the leadership of Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina.

“The PNP has heightened its anti-carnapping campaigns in view of the prevailing concerns on carnapping incidents especially in the National Capital Region to ensure the arrest and conviction of carnappers once the charges filed against them are heard in court,” Robredo said.

The DILG reported that the PNP was able to neutralize the notorious carjacking syndicate allegedly led by the Dominguez brothers, now detained for the controversial murders of car dealers Venson Evangelista and Emerson Lozano in January.

The police also arrested the leaders of the Madrigal, Bonifacio and Herrera car theft groups, and the Bundol robbery gang, the DILG said.