2 menor de edad, huli sa pagnanakaw ng mga plaka ng kotse; junk shop owner, arestado rin

- Two male minors were apprehended by police authorities in Tondo, Manila for car plate theft

- The minors, one aged 15 years old and the other 16 years old, were taken into custody for allegedly stealing license plates from at least 12 vehicles in a vacant lot during a rainstorm on June 2, 2025

- The teenagers have previous barangay records for theft, including car batteries

- The owner of the junk shop where the stolen plates were sold for P8,000 was also arrested for violating the Anti-Fencing Law

Police authorities in Tondo, Manila, have apprehended two male minors suspected of orchestrating the theft of numerous vehicle license plates from parked cars in a vacant lot.

The incident, which saw at least a dozen vehicles stripped of their registration markers, has brought to light concerns about juvenile delinquency and the illicit trade of stolen automotive parts.

The apprehension occurred following a follow-up operation conducted by the Manila Police District (MPD) after the crime transpired at approximately 2:00 AM on Monday, June 2, 2025.

Investigators believe the two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, capitalized on the cover of heavy rain during the early hours to execute their scheme.

The stolen plates were subsequently sold to a junk shop for an estimated sum of P8,000.

Upon identification and arrest, authorities discovered that the two minors were not new to such illicit activities.

Police Major Hanz Jose, Officer-in-Charge of the Abad Santos Police Station (MPD Station 7), revealed that the teenagers had previous records with the barangay for a series of theft-related incidents.

Notably, they were reportedly involved in the theft of car batteries in previous weeks, though the vehicle owners chose not to press charges out of compassion for the young offenders.

In connection with the theft, the owner of the junk shop where the stolen license plates were reportedly sold has also been taken into custody.

The individual faces charges for violating the Anti-Fencing Law, which penalizes persons who knowingly buy or possess stolen property.

Authorities noted that the recovered license plates were found folded, suggesting they were not intended for use in evading the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) but rather likely for their scrap metal value.

The widespread operation of NCAP across various areas poses a significant challenge for the affected vehicle owners.

Despite the recovery of their plates, the damaged condition of the items and their necessity as evidence in the ongoing case mean they cannot be immediately reused.

This leaves car owners in a predicament regarding their ability to drive legally and avoid NCAP violations until new plates can be secured through official channels, a process often associated with bureaucratic hurdles and additional expenses.

The arrested minors are currently under the care of the Women's and Children Protection Section of the Abad Santos Police Station, a standard protocol for juvenile offenders.

A dental aging test is pending to conclusively determine their ages, which will be crucial in dictating the appropriate legal procedures under the country’s juvenile justice system.

Meanwhile, the junk shop owner remains in custody at the Tayuman Police Community Precinct (PCP), awaiting formal charges.

The incident underscores the continuous challenge of petty crimes, particularly those involving minors, and the need for community vigilance, robust enforcement, and interventions addressing the root causes of such delinquency.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable.

Inother news, HIV cases among individuals aged 15 to 25 have increased by 500%, prompting urgent calls for national action. From January to March 2024, an average of 57 new HIV cases were recorded per day in the Philippines—more than double the rate in 2014. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa urged for HIV to be declared a National Public Health Emergency to mobilize a united societal response. The DOH encourages free HIV testing, promotes safe s&x practices, and supports access to PrEP and antiretroviral therapy through public and NGO efforts.

Still in other news, three men from Batangas who were supposed to deliver hybrid goats in Maguindanao were discovered buried in a rubber plantation in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao del Sur. The victims were last contacted around May 10 or 11, 2025, just before the May 12 elections, after being seen with their cargo of goats near Nabundas Elementary School. Their decomposed bodies, found with hands tied, were unearthed in a rubber plantation after locals reported a foul odor, suggesting a violent end. Police are intensifying their investigation to identify the person the victims transacted with, as well as the group believed to have abducted, robbed, and killed them before burying them in a shallow grave.

Source: KAMI.com.gh