Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez announced the arrest on 4 February 2019 of three whom he described as heads of a network that stole, distributed and sold spare automobile parts in the National District. Rodriguez announced the arrest of Edward Perez, his spouse Massiel Acevedo, and Elmer Encarnación (El Barón), saying these worked with dozens of suspect thieves.
In Santo Domingo, vehicle owners had come to accept their accessories would be stolen and they would have to go “uptown” to buy them back.
Rodríguez said that investigations that included use of surveillance videos, under cover agents and constant watch over suspect businesses in Villa Juana, National District resulted in the intervention of the stores: Repuestos JR, located at Calle Moca/ CalleAmérico Lugo No.137, Villa Juana; Francis Vidrio, located at Calle Arturo Logroño; Auto Electrónica Triple A, Calle Moca No. 136, and Repuestos Josué Auto Parts, located at Calle Pedro Livio Cedeño /Calle Seibo.
Rodríguez said overall 16 prosecutors, 21 agents of the criminal investigations unit, 60 police agents and 40 agents of the Ciudad Tranquila joint task force of the Ministry of Defense participated in the operation.
The Attorney General said that thieves would pose as drivers of parked taxis that were waiting for customers to steal parts to vehicles in public and residential areas. Afterwards the parts were taken to the “spare parts stores” in Villa Maria, Villa Consuelo and Villa Juana where they were sold as used parts, a very lucrative business model for those involved with the complacency of the authorities for years.
Read more in Spanish:
Hoy
Listin Diario
6 February 2019
