BMW thief wanted to be like Bunty Chor

NEW DELHI: Robin drove an Audi, wore flashy clothes and walked with a swag of a wealthy businessman. The camouflage helped the former porter steal 30 luxury sedans

NEW DELHI: Robin drove an Audi, wore flashy clothes and walked with a swag of a wealthy businessman. The camouflage helped the former porter steal 30 luxury sedans over 14 years.

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Robin, who revered Delhi-NCR’s notorious auto thief Bunty Chor as his god, would just walk into any house, pick up the car keys and drive away. Security men at the gates of the houses he targeted would salute in awe as he effortlessly played the role like a thespian.

Cases against him have been registered in Delhi, Haryana, UP and Punjab. He was delivering a stolen BMW car to a buyer staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Paschim Vihar on Wednesday when the police arrested him. A Fortuner SUV that he stole along with the BMW from Panchkula was also seized.

The police got their first clue from CCTV footage at a Noida Sector 17 house from where Robin stole the BMW car. The footage showed two men entering the compound in an Audi.

“One of them stayed in the car, while the other walked in and returned with the keys. He then drove away in the BMW car parked inside the house,” said another officer who investigated the case.

“We sought help from the local intelligence to trace Robin,” he said.

Police came to know that the semi-bald Robin used to wear a wig to disguise himself. Based on the inputs of the local intelligence and their investigation into car theft cases, the police found similar cases registered in several cities.

Based on their probe and tipoff from sources, police came to know that Robin will be in Paschim Vihar to deliver a stolen car. “Robin used to carry lights in wedding and other processions,” the investigator said.

“He wanted to be rich and got his inspiration from the movie Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, which depicted the life of Bunty Chor,” he said.

He started idolising Bunty so much that he used to keep his photo in his pocket. Robin was once arrested in another theft case in January and sent to jail. He formed a gang inside the prison and came out on bail in May.

“He met Manoj Bakkarwala aka Bunty Chor in jail. He wanted to live a luxurious life and had several girlfriends. He used to steal car and sold them,” the investigator said. Robin will be handed over to Uttar Pradesh Police for questioning.