San José Mayor Victim of
Car Thieves
Politicians and public
figures continue to be
victims of crime, the
latest being San José's
mayor, Johnny Araya
Monge, who had his "chuzo"
- car - stolen.
The mayor's official
vehicle, a late model
Toyota Prado, was stolen
from the driver Álvaro
Villalobos, while
waiting outside Araya's
home in Escazú, when two
men approached the
vehicle, pointed a gun
to Villalobos' head and
demanded the vehicle.
"He was waiting for me
as I got home about
8:30pm to retrieve
documents from my home
when two armed thieves
took my car", said
Araya.
Araya added that
fortunately no on was
injured and that he
filed a report
immediately with the
Organismo de
Investigación Judicial (OIJ).
"I have been telling the
President (Oscar Arias)
that the people are
impotent against crime,
the efforts by his
administration have not
been sufficient and it
is urgent that the
Criminal Code be
amended", said Araya,
who added that he feels
that punishment for
crimes should be tougher
and that more jails beed
to be built or criminals
will not be deterred.
Earlier this month a
Heredia court sentenced
three men to 12 years
prison each for the
theft of the vehicle of
former Costa Rican
president, Luis Alberto
Monge Álvarez, in April
2004.
The Monge vehicle was
quickly found by
authorities after
thieves realized whom
they had assaulted and
whose vehicle they had
just stolen and were the
subject of a countrywide
manhunt.
Former president Monge
is Johnny Araya's uncle. |
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