TULUNGAGUNG – A vehicle registration fraud case in Tulungagung led police to arrest a 57-year-old man accused of misusing a vehicle ownership certificate to secure financing without the owner’s consent.
Investigators from Tulungagung Police named the suspect EFS, a resident of Doko in Blitar. Police said the case caused financial losses for a resident of Boyolangu.
The victim, identified as Edhi Hendro Kartiko, lives in Sobontoro. According to police, the suspect approached him in December 2021 and offered help with vehicle registration renewal.
Police spokesperson IPTU Nanang said the victim trusted the offer because he knew the suspect personally. He then handed over money and the vehicle registration certificate for processing.
After the agreed deadline passed, the suspect did not return the document. Several weeks later, officers from a financing company came to the victim’s home and informed him that the suspect had pledged the certificate as collateral.
Police said the suspect used the financing funds to pay personal debts and monthly installments. The victim never knew about the transaction and never gave permission.
The victim later reported the case to Tulungagung Police, where detectives from the criminal investigation unit traced the transaction and collected supporting evidence.
Officers seized one vehicle ownership certificate for a dark gray metallic Nissan Evalia and ten screenshots of WhatsApp conversations linked to the case.
Police now hold the suspect at Tulungagung Police headquarters while investigators complete the case file for further legal action.