Wilfredo Xavier Lajara Ruiz, 34, of Guánica, was arrested and charged with three counts of illegal vehicle appropriation under Law 8 for the Protection of Vehicle Property. Judge Ángel Candelario of the Ponce Tribunal set a $75,000 bail, which Lajara Ruiz did not post, and he was taken to the Las Cucharas Correctional Complex. The arrest was part of the Escudo Integral y Control Territorial initiative led by Colonel Rolando Trinidad.
According to the investigation, between September 29 and October 2, 2026, Lajara Ruiz illegally took three motor vehicles in Ponce and Guayanilla: a 1994 Toyota Corolla, a 2018 Land Rover, and a 2012 Toyota Yaris. Lajara Ruiz was intercepted by agents while driving the Toyota Yaris, which had been reported stolen, on PR-2 highway. He attempted to flee, crashed into a metal barrier, and was arrested after abandoning the vehicle.
The other two stolen vehicles were recovered. Agent Pedro León Báez and prosecutor Juan Molina Pérez handled the case, with a preliminary hearing set for October 15, 2026.