POLICE officers arrested on Thursday a group of people in what the police believe to be members of a big carjacking syndicate in Cagayan de Oro City.
Police Chief Inspector Harvey Abellanosa, head of Cagayan de Oro City Police Office's (Cocpo) Detective Management Desk (DMD), said the suspects do not only carjack vehicles but are also luring households with fake gold bars.
Authorities arrested suspects Marcellino Bertillo, 59, resident of Zone 1, Upper Balulang; Rodrigo Bertillo, 53, resident of Kalilangan, Bukidnon; Mario Alibio, 58, also from Kalilangan; Floro Somentac, 58, resident of Upper Balulang; Jean Ramos, 45, also from Upper Balulang; and Emma Camasin, 52, resident of Buhangin, Davao City.
Abellanosa said Rutche Fullo, 37, resident of Bloomingdale Subdivision in Barangay Iponan, reported that her Toyota Grandia van with plate number KFJ 523 was rented by a certain Marites and Ken Pangan since November 5.
Abellanosa said Fullo started to doubt that she was victimized by carjackers after the van wasn’t returned after three days.
Fullo said an informant reported that her van was spotted in Davao City.
"Nagduda gyud siya ug samot kay ang agreement is within city ra gamiton, but an informant told her na naa daw iyang van sa Davao City," Abellanosa said.
Police operatives arrested the suspects at about 2 p.m., Thursday at Zone 1, Upper Balulang in this city.
Abellanosa said the suspects call themselves as "treasure hunters."
"Magsuroy daw kuno ni sila sa mga lugar, mangita ug gold, ug ipamaligya. But we saw images of the gold bars sa ilang phones, those were fake," he added.
Recovered from their possession were 45 pieces of fake five hundred-peso bills and one hunting knife.
The suspects who are currently detained at Maharlika Detention Cell in at Cocpo may be facing charges on carjacking.