By Edwin Fernandez/Philippine News Agency
COTABATO CITY – Police authorities in North Cotabato on Monday appealed to motorcycle owners and drivers to take precautionary steps to prevent motorcycle theft.
The appeal was aired by Lt. Colonel Bernard Tayong, police provincial spokesperson, after more than 50 motorcycles were either carnapped or forcibly taken from January to May 30 this year.
Tayong said a total of 55 motorcycles were carnapped in North Cotabato’s 17 towns and in Kidapawan City.
“Kabacan recorded 15 car theft cases followed by Midsayap with 10, while M’lang and Tulunan with nine each,” he said in a radio interview.
Tayong said that Kabacan may have the highest number of motorcycle theft because most of the victims were students of the province’s biggest tertiary school — the University of Southern Mindanao.
Tayong said some of the motorcycles have been recovered by authorities during Oplan Lambat Bitag, in partnership with the police’s Highway Patrol Group, especially in remote areas like barangay and municipal roads.
“Oplan Lambat Bitag” is a police campaign against motor vehicles without legal registration records.
Tayong believes that the 2017 jailbreak in North Cotabato provincial jail have contributed to the rising motorcycle theft cases because many of the more than 100 inmates who escaped were detained on carnapping charges.
Tayong advised motorists to procure motorcycle locks to avoid getting victimized by motorcycle thieves, as well as to park vehicles in lighted areas and even use two locks.
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