The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) intercepted the attempted sale of a stolen motorcycle through Facebook Marketplace, following an entrapment operation on Tuesday afternoon.
At around 4:40 p.m., operatives from Sta. Mesa Police Station in Manila arrested a 27-year-old male call center employee infront of a fastfood chain along Rizal Avenue corner Blumentritt Street, Santa Cruz, Manila, after he attempted to sell a motorcycle that had been previously reported stolen.
The case was triggered by a report from the victim, an Angkas rider, who recognized a Facebook Marketplace listing that matched the physical features of his black motorcycle which was stolen on 27 July outside his residence in Bacood, Sta. Mesa. The complainant alerted Sta. Mesa Police Station, which immediately launched an entrapment operation.
During the operation, police recovered the black Honda FS150FL motorcycle, with engine and chassis numbers matching the complainant’s registration. Also seized was the cellular phone used by the suspect to negotiate the transaction online.
The suspect was brought to a nearby hospital for medico-legal examination and is now under police custody.
A formal complaint has been filed against the suspect before the city's prosecutor's office for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law in relation to Republic Act No. 10175 otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.