Carnapping

QUEZON CITY, May 13 (PIA) -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) said in a press statement that carnapping incidents continue to plunge in April as preventive police operations were stepped-up against organized crime groups engaged in carnapping. 

Mainly thru the efforts of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG), a significant 68.3 percent decline in recorded carnapping cases was posted in April 2012 with only 39 carnapping incidents recorded, down from 123 cases recorded in April 2011. 

PNP-HPG Director, Chief Supt Leonardo A Espina said carnapping cases in April 2012 continued the downtrend posted since January and February when 102 cases were recorded, dipping further to 84 cases in March and 39 in April. 

Espina said aside from aggressive anti-carnapping operations, the HPG is also stepping-up market denial operations to eliminate trafficking in stolen vehicles and cannibalized car parts in the underground market. 

A total of 327 carnapping incidents were recorded during the first four months of 2012, dropping 28.9 percent from the 460 cases recorded during the same 4-month period in 2011. 

The 4-month downtrend in 2012 is expected to continue and further slump carnapping cases to an all-time low towards the remaining months of the year. 

Citing statistics generated from the automated HPG Vehicle Information Management System (VIMS), Espina said the 39 motor vehicles stolen in April were made up of 25 motorcycles and 14 four-wheeled vehicles. 

The bulk (79 %) of carnapped vehicles in April 2012 were Stolen While Parked (SWP), seven cases (18 %) were Forcibly Taken and one case (3 %) Failed TO Return. 

The National Capital Region posted 87% of the carnapping cases in April while 13 percent were recorded in Calabarzon. 

Manila and Quezon City topped the list Carnapping Prone Areas in Metro Manila with seven and six cases, respectively, followed by Parañaque and Makati each posting two cases of stolen motorcycles. 

Espina clarified,...