Stolen in Baguio, found chilling unattended in Pinukpuk: HPG-Kalinga recovers motorcycle

A motorcycle reportedly left covered with banana stalk in vacant lot for days before police swooped in

PINUKPUK, Kalinga — A motorcycle stolen in Baguio City ended up abandoned in a quiet part of Pinukpuk, Kalinga, where it was left unattended for days before the Highway Patrol Group (HPG)-Kalinga recovered it.

The motorcycle was recovered at around 2:20 p.m. on July 28, 2026, in Kinalabasa, Purok 6, Barangay Subcot, after a confidential informant alerted authorities that a motorcycle matching the description of the stolen vehicle had been parked in the area.

According to the spot report obtained by GURU Press Cordillera from the Provincial Highway Patrol Team-Kalinga, the motorcycle had reportedly been stolen while parked along Balboa Street, Purok 15, Irisan, Baguio City.

The theft allegedly occurred between 8 p.m. on June 29 and 1 a.m. on June 30, 2026, based on the Incident Record Form dated July 16, 2026, issued by Police Station 9 of the Baguio City Police Office.

The motorcycle, described as a black-and-red Honda, is registered to a man whose address is listed at Calugay Street, Poblacion Bagullon, Pangasinan.

Informant leads HPG to abandoned motorcycle

After receiving information that a motorcycle in Barangay Subcot matched the appearance of the stolen vehicle, HPG-Kalinga immediately coordinated with Punong Barangay June B. Sapi-il.

The informant told authorities that the motorcycle had been seen parked unattended in Kinalabasa, Purok 6.

After validating the information, HPG personnel proceeded to the area and found the motorcycle covered with a banana pseudostem and parked on a grassy portion of a vacant lot beside a road leading to a rice field.

Residents told police that they had noticed the motorcycle in the area several days before it was recovered.

Among those interviewed was Barangay Subcot Kagawad Dennis B. Lagrio, who also assisted the HPG team during the operation.

According to residents, they first noticed the motorcycle parked unattended on the morning of July 26, two days before its recovery.

However, none of the residents reportedly saw who brought the motorcycle to the area or who left it there.

As a result, the police report did not identify any person responsible for bringing or abandoning the motorcycle at the recovery site.

Motorcycle undergoes examination

Before conducting a thorough inspection of the motorcycle’s engine and chassis numbers, the HPG-Kalinga team requested assistance from the Provincial Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit (PE-CU).

The police canine team conducted a search of the motorcycle and surrounding area to ensure the safety of the responding personnel.

Following the recovery, the motorcycle was brought to the Provincial Highway Patrol Team-Kalinga office for further verification and investigation.

It will also undergo macro-etching examination by the Provincial Forensic Unit (PFU)-Kalinga as part of the verification process.

As of the police report dated July 28, the investigation remained ongoing, with authorities conducting further verification before the motorcycle is turned over to the concerned police unit for proper disposition.

The recovery report did not indicate that anyone had been arrested or identified as responsible for the theft. A police progress report is expected to follow.

Another vehicle recovered

The recovery adds to the recent vehicle-recovery efforts of HPG-Kalinga.

Earlier in August, the unit, in coordination with the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, also recovered a commuter van listed as wanted in police records after it was spotted along the Tabuk-Paracelis Road.

The operations highlight the role of HPG-Kalinga in tracing and recovering vehicles flagged in police records, with information from the public and coordination with other police units proving crucial in locating them.