Cops bust auto theft racket, arrest 4

Navi Mumbai: Four persons were arrested on Monday for dealing in stolen autorickshaws in Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai: Four persons were arrested on Monday for dealing in stolen autorickshaws in Navi Mumbai. The Crime Branch also recovered 10 stolen autos.

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The arrested have been identified as Rehman Yusuf Khan, 23, Hassan Imamsahab Sayyed, 35, Mohammad Nadeem Naeem Shaikh, 38, and Shahbaaz alias Batli Shakeel Hushile, 29, while Rasool Akram Khan of Mankhurd and Naeem Jalela of Govandi are wanted.

“The modus operandi of the gang was to target autorickshaws parked on the roads at night. While some stolen autos were further sold, some were sold in scrap,” Vijaysingh Bhosale, senior police inspector, Crime Branch Central unit, said.

“A total of 70 autorickshaws were stolen the previous year. Of them, 10 have been recovered. We are investigating if the same accused were involved in the remaining cases,” Amit Kale, deputy commissioner of police (Crime Branch), said.

The accused were also wanted by the Mira-Bhayandar and Thane police. Rehman Khan, who is an auto driver, has a history of five cases registered with Trombay and APMC police for theft and assault.

Sayyed, who buys the stolen auto rickshaws, has a total of four cases at APMC, Chembur, Kurla and Govandi for theft. While Shaikh is also an auto driver, Hushile is a plumber. All the accused have been sent in police custody till Thursday.