A suspect involved in three cases of motorcycle theft was apprehended by Quezon City Police District (QCPD) operatives over the weekend.

QCPD Director P/Brig. Gen. Redrico A. Maranan announced that elements of the District Anti-Carnapping Unit (DACU), under P/Lt. Col. Hector Ortencio, arrested Oliver Mercado, a 38-year-old resident of Brgy. Escopa 3, Project 4, Quezon City.

Ortencio reported that on 20 August, Mercado boarded an ANGKAS motorcycle around 11:00 PM, posing as a passenger and instructing the driver to take him to Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC). Upon reaching the area in front of the BPI Cubao Branch on F. Castillo, Project 4, Quezon City, Mercado pretended his umbrella had fallen and asked the driver to retrieve it.

As the driver stepped away, Mercado stole the Honda Click motorcycle and fled to an unknown location.

The victim reported the incident and sought assistance from the DACU office. DACU operatives quickly conducted follow-up operations and reviewed CCTV footage.

DACU operatives, together with the Project 4 Police Station (PS 8) and Anonas Police Station (PS 9), successfully located Mercado in Floodway Anakpawis, Taytay, Rizal. Coordination with PRO4-A (Rizal AOR) led to the arrest of Mercado and the recovery of the stolen motorcycle. The victim positively identified Mercado.

During the custodial investigation, another victim identified Mercado as the person who had stolen his Suzuki Raider 150cc motorcycle on 27 August 2024, at 1:57 AM, at No. 85 K-9th Street, Brgy. East Kamias, Quezon City.

Additionally, another case was filed by a separate victim against Mercado for a carnapping incident that occurred at 12:30 AM on 20 August 2024, at No. 18 21st Avenue, Brgy. Tagumpay, Project 4, Quezon City.

The suspect has been charged with three counts of R.A. 10883, or the New Anti-Carnapping Law of 2016, before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office.