The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Monday warned all insurance companies of the new modus operandi of carnapping syndicates declaring their cars as flood-soaked during the height of typhoon “Ondoy.”

NCRPO Regional Director Roberto Rosales said that to avoid shouldering hefty sums for the repair of their flood-soaked vehicles, some car owners just decide to declare their vehicles lost or carnapped to make use of the comprehensive\ coverage of their car insurance.

Rosales said that this was the latest scheme that they would like the public and insurance firms to look out for.

He said that individuals who make such bogus claims are criminally liable for fraud under the Insurance Code.

The NCRPO chief expressed his concern on the illicit activity uncovered by their organization as it might present a false, negative outlook of the crime situation in Metro Manila with regard to the incidents of carnapping.

Rosales also warned buyers or possessors of vehicles that are declared carnapped or lost that they will also face criminal prosecution should the police catch them in custody of the vehicles.

Continuing his campaign against carnapping, Rosales, upon his assumption as Regional Director of NCRPO, directed an unrelenting and intensified operations against carnapping syndicates.

He organized the Regional Traffic Enforcement and Anti-Carnapping Unit to focus on ridding Metro Manila of any carnapping incident.

From July to August 2009, NCRPO’s anti-carnapping operations resulted in the recovery of 26 four-wheeled vehicles and 19 motorcycles, and the arrest of 14 suspects, including two policemen in the active service.

The average number of vehicles reportedly being carnapped daily in Manila in 2008 was six vehicles. This was reduced to about four per day during the first quarter of 2009 and was further decreased to about three vehicles daily during the second and third quarter.