One more episode of citizen insecurity. A woman lives hours of uncertainty and anguish after criminals stole her vehicle in San Luis. The day after the robbery, the victim began to receive extortion calls in which they not only demanded a payment of 5 thousand soles for the return of his car, but also ordered him to look for a guarantor in the San Jacinto market, known for the illegal trade in auto parts.
According to information from Good morning Peru of Panamericana TVthis type of extortion requires that the victim be in charge of finding an intermediary, called a “guarantor”, who acts as a link between them and the criminals. That person must validate the transaction and thus facilitate the rescue of the stolen vehicle.
The victim reported that the robbery occurred after attending a concert in San Luis with her husband. Upon leaving the event, he discovered that his car had disappeared from the place where he parked it.
Despite having alerted police officers and asked a patrol officer for support, he was only able to formalize the complaint at the district police station. The police personnel told him that, once the complaint was filed, the case should be referred to the Vehicle Theft Investigation Division (DIROVE).
The extortion began at dawn the next day. “They call me and tell me: ‘We have your car, we want 5 thousand soles. Find a guarantor in San Jacinto and we’ll make the deal.’ I didn’t know what they were referring to or how that mechanism worked,” the owner declared for the aforementioned media outlet.
The criminals, through several calls and audio messages, insisted on the need for the guarantor and provided precise instructions. “Look for a guarantor, you must have a mechanic or friends, someone who has an acquaintance in San Jacinto and that person will guarantee you (…) I want my money and I will give you your car, nothing more,” is heard in one of the audios sent by the extortionists.
One of the most worrying aspects for the victim was that the extortionists contacted her hours after she had formalized her complaint. Even during a visit to the DIROVE, the criminals called her again in the presence of an officer, without there being an effective reaction from the authority. “They extort me in front of the police officer, I put the call on loudspeaker and he just listens without intervening,” the injured party reported.
Between the lack of support from the authorities and constant pressure from criminalsthe woman was forced to investigate on her own. He managed to identify the telephone line from which he received the messages and discovered that it belonged to a subject residing in Cerro El Pino, an area where he suspects the car could be. When he presented these findings to the police, he did not receive a concrete response or progress in the investigation.
The victim’s testimony reveals the absence of effective action by law enforcement and the feeling of lack of protection faced by those who suffer this type of crime. The case, which involves the license plate VAU415 of a silver Nissan Vaio Lab model, remains unsolved and the vehicle has not been located. Family and friends hope that, with the dissemination of the characteristics, someone can provide information for his recovery.
Meanwhile, the victim warned that the extortion network operates with total impunity, demanding not only money but active participation from the victims to make the “ransom payment,” forcing them to enter markets known for the sale of illegal auto parts and exposing themselves to greater risks. This case reflects the vulnerability of citizens to vehicle theft and the growing sophistication of criminal networks in Lima.
