Two serial car thieves nabbed in Delhi’s Shahdara

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Two men have been arrested in Delhi’s Shahdara for allegedly stealing vehicles, changing their number plates, using them to commit further thefts and disposing them of in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as Shafiq (54) and Zahir Ahmed alias Gulla (42), both residents of Behjoi in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, he said.

The duo was intercepted near Maharaja Surajmal Marg on July 18 while allegedly travelling in a stolen car, which was found to be linked to a case registered at Jyoti Nagar police station on July 16, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Parshant Gautam said on Thursday.

The arrests led to the recovery of another stolen vehicle, which was reported stolen from Mansarovar Park in April, along with three electronic control modules (ECM) devices also known as the car's computer. The police also recovered lock sets, tools used for theft, old keys and fake number plates from them.

“Both accused are habitual offenders and have previously been arrested in several cases of vehicle theft. Their modus operandi involved stealing vehicles, changing their number plates and using them to commit further thefts. The stolen cars were then disposed of in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh,” the officer said.

During interrogation, Shafiq allegedly disclosed that he had been stealing vehicles for years to make money for survival and substance abuse, the DCP added. He allegedly admitted to being previously involved in more than eight cases of theft.

Zahir, who worked as a whitewasher, told police he was allegedly lured into the racket by associates from his village and acted as a driver and used to look out during thefts. He too has been jailed in theft cases earlier, the police said.

The police said efforts are on to track down another associate, Shahrukh, who is suspected to be hiding in Ghaziabad. He allegedly played a key role in selling stolen cars in Aligarh, Bhojpur and Indore.

Further investigation is on to trace more stolen vehicles and identify the network of receivers, police said. PTI SSJ SHS SSJ SHS MNK MNK