Retired traffic chief Wilfredo Tumakin is happy his car was recovered intact, if but for a slight dent on the front.
PRANKSTERS? RUGBY boys? A group out to embarrass the city police force? Or, it may sound farfetched, a scenario leading to the 2013 national and local elections?
These are the questions running in the minds of both the police and civilian residents, especially the politically astute, about a series of carnap incidents in Ormoc starting from January 1 up to January 6.
In a period of six days, five cars and one motorcycle were carnapped. All five cars were immediately recovered, but curiously, only one was cannibalized. The motorcycle also remains missing as of press time.
The first victims were the couple Joel and Merced “Milay” Aviles-Gatchalian, whose khaki brown Land Cruiser was stolen while it was parked at the San Pedro Street. The Gatchalians were visiting Milay’s family when the incident happened. They discovered the theft when they were about to leave. The police at the city police station, just two blocks away, immediately went on a hot pursuit.
Police would recover the Land Cruiser the next day, January 2, at around 10:00 AM, abandoned at a sitio in Brgy. Maticaa. Its car stereo was gone.
The second victim was businessman Alfredo Tizon, a boarder at the Pelacor Lodge at San Pablo Street here. His owner-type Toyota jeepney, which was parked on the street, was stolen early morning of January 1.
The jeep was later recovered by Kananga cops led by Sr. Insp. Jose Yap abandoned somewhere in Montebello, Kananga.
On January 3, another vehicle was stolen. This time owned by retired policeman Vicente Tomada, 64. He reported to Ormoc policemen that his white Toyota Lite Ace, which he parks along the road in Agua Dulce, was stolen at around 7:30 in the evening. Tomada is currently a traffic enforcer at the city government and often seen with Noel Aberca, another city employee who once ran a car dealership.
The Lite Ace was later found abandoned at the D. Veloso Street in Baybay City morning of January 5.
Meanwhile, one Ryan Paul Manoza, 25, a temporary resident at Brgy. Don Felipe Larrazabal, lost his Kawasaki Fury 125 with plate number 6755-HI. He told police station 3 police that he still saw his motorcycle parked at around midnight of January 3 because he went out to throw out some trash. Morning of January 4, he discovered his motorcycle gone. To date, it has not been recovered.
The last incident, as of press time, is the theft of a brand new gray Chevrolet Optra owned by another retired policeman, former traffic chief Wilfredo Tomakin. Tomakin said he was surprised to find his car gone from its parking space at the their house at J. Navarro Street at around 3:00 AM of January 6.
Police later found it parked on a private road at the side of the Cogon Elementary School. The road leads to a bustling community at the back where the OLFAMCA office is situated. The cops also found cellophanes with rugby left inside the car, making them suspect that the theft was done by “rugby boys”.
Tumakin, whom the EV Mail chanced on location while inspecting his car, said he was happy that it was found immediately. The car, except for a slight dent on its front, was in tiptop shape those investigating cops did not discount the possibility it could have been cannibalized if the thieves had enough time.
It was also learned that Tumakin leaves his car keys on the porch, making it easy for the presumed “rugby boys” easy to drive it away.
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