Carnapping Cases Down 57% in May

The number of carnapping cases nationwide has declined by 56.8 percent in May as compared to the same period last year.

Based on data showed in a command conference in Camp Crame last Tuesday, June 18, Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group chief, Brig. Gen. Roberto Fajardo said the number of carnapping incidents last month dropped to 19, from 44 in the same month last year.

Carnapping remained most prevalent in Metro Manila with the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) having eight cases, followed by Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO-7) with four cases; Central Luzon (PRO-3) with three cases; Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) with two cases; and Cordillera (PRO-COR) and Soccsksargen (PRO-12) with one case each.

He said the PROs 1, 2, 4-A, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13 and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) recorded zero carnapping incidents.

"Carnapping incidents have gone down following the PNP's intensified campaign against criminality," PNP spokesperson, Col. Bernard Banac told reporters Wednesday, June 19.

Earlier, the PNP said the crime volume nationwide has declined by 10 percent for the month of May compared to the same month last year as a result of an intensified drive against crime and lawlessness.

Records from the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management revealed that the total crime volume in May 2019 is 38,284 as compared to 42,527 in May 2018.

PNP data also showed a 22.6-percent drop in index crimes such as murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping, and cattle rustling -- from 7,421 in May 2018 to 5,744 in May 2019.

Meanwhile, non-index crimes dropped by 7.31 percent from 35,106 to 32,540.

Non-index crimes refer to cases of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, reckless imprudence resulting to physical injury, reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property, violation of special laws, among others.