By Alexandria Denise San Juan
In desperate need of money after losing in an electronic cockfighting, a man turned into stealing a taxi he hailed that turned out to be equipped with an anti-carnap device that led to his arrest.
Personnel of Quezon City Police Station 11 identified the arrested suspect as Ariel Laurente, 41, driver, a native of Daguhoy, Bohol, and currently residing at Barangay San Antonio, Quezon City.
Police report showed that Laurente flagged down a cab with plate number WOW 632 driven by Rommel Lorilla on the corner of Quezon Avenue and Cordillera Street around 12:50 a.m., Monday.
Laurente told the cabbie to bring him to a house on nearby Agno Street to fetch his companion.
Upon arriving, the suspect told Lorilla that his foot is aching and asked him to ring the doorbell from where his companion is waiting.
When the driver alighted from the taxi, Laurente, who was seating at the passenger's seat, took the steering wheel and drove the cab a few meters away before it suddenly stopped.
The suspect tried to restart the engine but failed as the car was apparently equipped with an anti-carnap security feature.
Lorillo immediately reported the incident to Barangay Doña Josefa official who relayed the incident to Galas Police Station.
Responding officers were able to nab Laurente who tried to evade arrest by hiding behind a tree.
The suspect admitted that he took the taxi because he needs money after he lost in an 'e-sabong'.
Laurente is now under police custody and will be charged for carnapping.