Two used-car dealers charged with car theft granted bail

- File photo

Two used-car dealers charged with possession of stolen vehicles, as well as larceny of a vehicle, have been granted a total of $200,000 surety bail.

David John, 52, and Phillipe John, 28, both of Good Session Drive, Patna Village, in Diego Martin, appeared before High Court Master Rhea Libert on December 19.

John was granted $75,000 surety bail, and Phillipe John was granted $125,000.

John was charged with the possession of a stolen vehicle.

The two accused were jointly charged with the possession of another stolen vehicle.

Phillipe was slapped with additional charges: two offences of possession of a stolen vehicle and larceny of a motor vehicle.

W/Cpl Villafana, WPC Hosein, and PCs Wilson, Ramesh, and Hall of the Stolen Vehicles Squad laid the charges.

All matters were transferred to the Port of Spain Magistrate’s Court and adjourned to January 16, 2026.

The arrests and charges followed investigations by officers of the Stolen Vehicles Squad into five vehicles they had seized between August and September.

The vehicles comprised three white Nissan Tiida cars and two Hyundai Elantra.

The vehicles were seized during Operations in the North-Central, Southern, and Western Divisions, as part of an ongoing enquiry.

The police contend that a thorough probe led to all five vehicles being traced as stolen on February 7, 2024; October 21, 2024; May 19; June 25; and July 29, from the Northern North, Central, Western, Southern, and Port of Spain Divisions.

The two accused were arrested on December 14.

Snr Supt Maharaj, Supt Pariman, ASP Narine, co-ordinated the operation, which Insp Lazarus, Sgt Hosein, and Cpl Berkley led.