LARAAD Makaila Aldan Ramangmou, 28, is accused of stealing a rental car and then asking the rental company for a reward for “finding” the vehicle, according to a complaint filed against her in Superior Court.
Ramangmou was charged with theft of vehicle, tampering with a vehicle, and criminal mischief.
She appeared in the custody of the Department of Corrections before Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho for a bail hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
The judge imposed a $5,000 bail on the defendant. Because there was a conflict with the Public Defender’s Office, the court will appoint an attorney to represent her.
Assistant Attorney General Carmen Borja appeared for the government.
Ramangmou was remanded to the custody of Corrections after the hearing and was ordered to return to court on Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. for a preliminary hearing, and Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. for an arraignment.
According to the complaint, on Aug. 29, Ramangmou and Anthony D. Villanueva III rented a dark gray Mazda CX-3 from a rental company.
On Sept. 7, the Department of Public Safety issued a “be on the lookout” alert for the Mazda, adding that it might be operated by Ramangmou or Villanueva.
On Sept. 15, DPS officially issued an active theft of vehicle case involving the Mazda.
On Sept 17, police units were dispatched to As Gonno in an abandoned house where they saw a dark gray Mazda CX-3 but with a different license plate which turned out to be for a 2018 silver Toyota Yaris.
While police officers were in the area, they saw a woman, who was later identified as Ramangmou, running into the jungle. They pursued and apprehended her. Asked why she ran away, she said, “I don’t like cops.”
She was brought back to the abandoned house and was asked about the Mazda. She said she did not know anything about it, adding that the police should ask “Ton.”
The police noted that the Mazda’s front lower bumper “had gold spray paint, and also the rims of the car’s tires.”
In addition, the front and rear emblems of the vehicle were covered with tape, and the front left portion of the windshield was shattered.
Police said they checked the vehicle’s identification number and it matched with the license plate of the missing Mazda.
In the abandoned house, police also found several license plates, including the Mazda’s original license plate.
The key to the vehicle was found in the possession of Ramangmou with her driver’s license.
A rental company agent told police that the vehicle had no damage when it was rented from their company.
He said on Sept. 13, he received a call from a woman asking if there was any cash reward if she found the stolen vehicle. “The female individual also kept insisting that she needs a reward or else she will sell the car for parts,” the car rental agent said.
When told that they could track her phone number through caller ID, she replied: “I know. I am not…using my own phone. I am not stupid.”
Ramangmou, in a freely given statement to the police, admitted that she and Villanueva rented the car for two days, and that she paid for it.
She also admitted that she spray-painted the rims and front bumper of the vehicle. She said she broke the front right windshield and took out the front panel of the dashboard.
Asked who changed the license plate of the vehicle, she said “Ton.”
Her co-defendant, Anthony D. Villanueva III, was charged separately.
