Mumbai Police bust interstate car theft gang, arrest 3

The cops have recovered three stolen cars, collectively worth Rs9 lakh, from Gujarat

The property cell of Mumbai crime branch busted an interstate car theft racket and recovered three stolen cars, collectively worth Rs9 lakh, from Gujarat. While two people were arrested around 10 days ago, the third arrest was made on Sunday.

According to officers, the gang used to steal cars and would change the registration number and sell them in Gujarat, where these vehicles were used to deliver liquor illegally from Daman and Diu. (Pic for representation)

According to officers, the gang used to steal cars and would change the registration number and sell them in Gujarat, where these vehicles were used to deliver liquor illegally from Daman and Diu. The vehicles were also used to transport drugs, said officers.

They also claimed that they have solved other cases of vehicle thefts registered at Virar and Mira Road police stations and the process of recovering cars stolen from those areas is on.

The accused have been identified as Wadala (East) residents Nafis Shaukat Ali Khan, 23, and Mohammad Tafsir Mohammad Shaikh, 22, and Gujarat resident Rumil Dipakbhai Soni, 30.

The police said Khan used to steal vehicles from areas where CCTV cameras are not installed. He used to hand over the stolen vehicles to Shaikh outside Mumbai check naka. Shaikh would drive the car to Navsari in Gujarat and then hand it over to Soni, who sell it to locals in Gujarat. After selling the vehicles, they distributed the amount among themselves, said police inspector Kedari Pawar from the property cell.

Among the recovered cars, the first, which is around Rs3 lakh, was stolen on October 10 from Ghatkopar. The second car, worth Rs4 lakh, was stolen from October 28 from Santacruz and the third vehicle (worth Rs1.9 lakh) was stolen on November 13 from Bangur Nagar. The accused had allegedly stolen another car from Ghatkopar before the lockdown and the police are trying to trace where they had sold it, added the officer.

After complaints of the car thefts emerged, the property cell checked the records of gangs and individuals who have cases of vehicle thefts against them in the city, and discovered about Khan. He was traced to Wadala and during inquiry, he revealed the names of Shaikh and Soni. Around 10 days ago, a police team visited Gujarat and recovered the three cars after arresting Soni, added Pawar.