A high-end Toyota Hi Ace GL Grandia van, rented in Baguio and reportedly stolen last year was finally traced this week by operatives of the Quezon City Police District, District Anti-Carnapping Unit when they flagged down the vehicle bearing no conduction sticker in Novaliches.

QCPD-DACU Chief P/Maj. Hector Ortencio said his men discovered that the van was a carnapped vehicle involved in the 'Rent Tangay Scheme' after flagging it down in Sta. Monica St., Brgy. Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City.

Ortencio said the Toyota Hi Ace GL Grandia with Plate No. CAJ 4513, was driven by Jan Mykael Q. Malubay who failed to provide necessary documents for the vehicle prompting lawmen to brought him at their headquarters for questioning.

Further investigation noted that Malubay revealed that he and a certain Mr. Umbao had purchased the vehicle for P1 million from Godfrey Grant Sibayan Joson.

A cross-checked by QCPD-DACU at the Land Transportation Office, discrepancies were discovered, such as font style variations in the Certificate of Registration that differed from the official font used by the vehicle and its records.

After a thorough investigation, it was also uncovered that the Toyota Hi Ace GL Grandia was the same vehicle rented by Jane David Dizon on June 22, 2023, in Baguio City, owned by Mrs. Annabelle Rosendo Cayat, as per the Deed of Sale of Motor Vehicle entered in Jay Walker Rentals (Rent a Car). Despite changes to the vehicle's true identity, verifications from Toyota Motor Philippines, the Plate Making Plant at LTO, and LTO-Regional Office 3, all confirmed that it was indeed the reported carnapped Toyota Hi Ace GL Grandia in Baguio City.

The recovered vehicle is currently under temporary impoundment at DACU.

"I commend the DACU personnel, led by PMAJ Hector Ortencio, for their diligence in meticulously tracing the vehicle's documents, resulting in its successful recovery," QCPD Director Redrico Maranan said.