Boy steals mini-truck, slams tricycle in Pasig

Remember the boy who was nabbed by police two years ago for taking an air-conditioned bus on a joy ride?

Well, he is now again in police custody after allegedly driving off with an Isuzu Elf truck. The boy, now 12 years old, landed in police hands after the green truck with plate number TJH-997 he was driving, slammed into a tricycle along Caruncho Avenue in Pasig City at about 10 p.m. last Tuesday.

Manila police said the boy allegedly stole the truck owned by Remegio Ilescas which was parked along Jose Abad Santos Street in Tondo, Manila, at about 8:30 p.m. Police said the boy allegedly used a master key to start the truck. Police said the boy escaped from a shelter for street children in Parañaque City.

On Dec. 20, 2000, the boy, then nine years old, allegedly drove off with an airconditioned Elena passenger bus that was parked in front of the Kamuning police station along EDSA.

The boy, whose father is a driver and a mechanic, managed to drive the bus some 500 meters away from the police station until policemen finally caught up and stopped it near the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Cubao.

Reports said the boy managed to sneak into the passenger-less bus after its driver and conduct or were arrested by police for allegedly beating up two passengers. According to reports, the boy managed to start the bus with the use of a screw driver.

Police said the boy was returned to the custody of the Department for Social Welfare and Development. – Mike Frialde