Tracking device leads cops to stolen vehicle

Tracking device leads cops to stolen vehicle

July 05, 2007

Jeannette Andrade

Manila Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – A stolen Mitsubishi Pajero equipped with a global positioning satellite (GPS) tracking device led policemen to a house in Quezon City yesterday where they found not only the vehicle but five others which could have also been taken from its rightful owners. Arrested in the pre-dawn raid conducted by members of the Quezon City Police Station 6 and the Anti-Carnapping Unit at Mark St., Filinvest II in Batasan Hills were Gilbert Sablan, a driver from Barangay Commonwealth; Leonardo Tablante and his wife, Christine.

The three are believed to be members of what the police said was the Tablante group, the biggest and most active car theft syndicate operating in Quezon City.

The police identified its alleged leader as car exchange dealer and bar owner Rico Tablante. Rico, the brother of Leonardo, was able to escape arrest. Senior Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula, QCPD chief, told reporters that the group could be behind most of the car theft incidents in the city.

Gatdula said his men stumbled into the group’s alleged lair while they were looking for a missing black Mitsubishi Pajero with license plate APL 313. The vehicle is owned by Atoy Laynes, who, according to the police, is the nephew of Philippine National Police deputy director for operations, Chief Supt. Luisito Palmera.

Laynes said his Pajero was stolen at around 9 p.m. Tuesday on the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City.

Unknown to the suspects, the vehicle was equipped with a GPS tracking device which alerts the owner if the car is being stolen. It also sends out a signal allowing the owner to trace its whereabouts.

The police tracked down the signal to the house in Batasan Hills at around 1 a.m. yesterday and found a black Pajero inside the garage, but with a different license plate—XHX 735.

The police, however, were able to start the car and reactivate the tracking device using the keys provided by Laynes, proving that it was the stolen Pajero. Palmera later positively identified the vehicle at the QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal, Quezon City as his.

Found along with the Pajero were five vehicles: A maroon Chrysler van, a Toyota Hi-Lux, a blue Volkswagen, a Mitsubishi van and a Toyota Lite Ace. There were also assorted hub caps, tires, spare parts, registration stickers, various gadgets, and several official receipts (OR) as well as certificates of registration (CR).

Gatdula said the Tablante Group first came to their attention two years ago when they arrested a car theft suspect. It was Rico Tablante who allegedly bailed out the suspect.