A father and son were yesterday charged in a city court with forging chassis plate numbers on two vehicles stolen in carjackings.
Welders Nigel Chung, 43, and his son, Ricky Chung, 23, of Lot 5 Coverden, East Bank Demerara, were faced with two charges, which resulted from the police’s recent recovery of two stolen vehicles.
The father and son were charged with fraudulently using chassis plate number 1213151388 on a registered Toyota Spacio car, between August 17th, 2017 and February, 13th, 2018, knowing same to be false.
It was further alleged that the two, between December 9th, 2017 and February 10th, 2018 at Georgetown, fraudulently used chassis plate number NZT2400011209 on a registered Toyota Allion car, knowing same to be false.
They pleaded not guilty to the two charges.
Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore told the court that two stolen vehicles were taken to the defendants and the chassis were removed and replaced. The vehicles, PPP 82 and PMM 7517, were subsequently recovered by the police and taken to the Brickdam Police Station, where they were identified by their respective owners.
Attorney Dexter Todd, who represented the two men, told the court that the senior Chung owns a welding company, which he operates at their residence. He added that the two vehicles were brought to his clients’ business and the plates were also brought.
Moore did not object to bail being granted but requested that conditions be applied.
Magistrate Judy Latchman later granted each accused $200,000 on each charge. They were also ordered to report to Officer Whittaker at the Criminal Investigation Department at Brickdam, beginning today, and then every Friday until the completion of the trial.
The matter was then adjourned until March 12th.
So far, an ex-policeman, Jason Harry, who has been linked to a massive carjacking ring, has been charged with one attack dating back to 2015.
He was one of over a dozen people who had been held by police after recent raids uncovered stolen vehicles and parts two weeks ago.
Police had said ranks of ‘A’ Division, acting on information received, swooped down on a property at Monument Hill, Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden High-way and conducted a search that uncovered several vehicles and a quantity of parts, all suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
At this location, the ex-policeman and four female suspects were arrested.
Meanwhile, ranks from the Major Crimes Unit arrested a couple at their Vryheid’s Lust North home after a quantity of Allion, Premio and Spacio parts, with engraved numbers, was found on their premises.
Additionally, the frames of another two vehicles were subsequently recovered by police at Swan, Soesdyke-Linden High-way. The vehicles were completely stripped. More raids were also conducted at Kuru Kururu and Yarrowkabra, resulting in the recovery of more vehicles and parts as well as additional arrests.
