Car thieves now ask for ransom

Police warned the public against car thieves asking for ransom in exchange for the return of stolen vehicles, following the arrest of two suspects on Monday in Caloocan City.

Senior Police Officer 4 Jonathan Regala, of the city’s anticarnapping unit, said  Jojo Palattao and Nelson Selentaryo were arrested in an entrapment operation after they demanded P50,000 from their victim, Adelmira de Leon, 23, so she could get back her Toyota Corolla.

Police said De Leon’s vehicle was stolen by the pair from her garage in Phase 5, Bagong Silang, on August 25.

“De Leon had lost hope of recovering the vehicle, but on Monday morning, she received a text message allegedly sent by the suspects,” Regala said.

Palattao and Selentaryo reportedly told her to meet them in front of the Iglesia ni Cristo chapel in Phase 5 later in the day, with the ransom.

De Leon immediately sought the help of police after receiving the message.

Investigators said the duo’s modus operandi deviated from the usual employed by car theft groups.

“Usually, what they do is take the car parts and then sell these. In this case, though, the two preferred to demand  a ransom for the return of the vehicle,” Tamayo said.