Fortuners are the new target of carjackers in Gurgaon

As many as 10 Fortuners have been stolen since January, seven of them in the past two months

Toyota Fortuner, going by police records, seems to be the vehicle most targeted by carjackers in Gurgaon.

Two Fortuners were stolen within a span of 20 minutes this Wednesday in Gurgaon. The police said before this, Ford Endeavour, Mahindra Bolero and Scorpio were the most ‘popular’ targets of carjackers. (HT Photo)

As many as 10 Fortuners have been stolen since January, seven of them in the past two months. All these cars were stolen at gunpoint, the police said.

On February 4, two gunmen stole the car belonging to Bihar politician Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son-in-law Vineet Yadav from Sikanderpur in Gurgaon.

The police said before this, Ford Endeavour, Mahindra Bolero and Scorpio were the most ‘popular’ targets of carjackers.

Two Fortuners were stolen within a span of 20 minutes this Wednesday.

In the first case, four armed men robbed a Panipat-based doctor of his car after holding him at gunpoint on the Gurgaon-Farukhnagar road. The police said Dr Vipin Sangwan was returning home when he was intercepted by a Hyundai Verna near Budhera village around 11:15pm.

In the second incident, a few kilometres away, Jhajjar-based businessman Sanjay was robbed of his car on the Gurgaon-Jhajjar road. Sanjay owns liquor shops in Gurgaon and was returning to Jhajjar when the incident took place.

These robberies, the police said, are not part of an organised crime wave. In both cases, assailants followed the cars and then stole them at gunpoint.

”They watch out for SUVs and then follow it and steal it,” said Surender Singh, station house officer, Rajendra Park police station.

In the doctor’s case, four men in the Verna forced him to stop. Three got into his car and held him at gunpoint. They later threw Sangwan out and fled with the car. Similarly, the Jhajjar businessman’s car was intercepted by two men in a Maruti Swift.

Last week, the police claimed to have busted a gang of carjackers and arrested two men-- Amit Gulia and Pradeep. The police recovered a stolen Fortuner from them. Later, others in their gang --- Nandu, Gulshan and Sachin -- were also arrested.