E-Paper
Car drivers, beware of ?shock? thefts
DON?T GET panicky if someone knocks on the windowpanes of your car and tells you that your car is on fire. This good Samaritan could be a member of tricksters? gang targeting gullible citizens.
DON’T GET panicky if someone knocks on the windowpanes of your car and tells you that your car is on fire.
This good Samaritan could be a member of tricksters’ gang targeting gullible citizens.
The tricksters’ gang has deprived over half-a-dozen car owners of cash and valuables worth lakhs during last three months.
Not a single case of such cheatings has been worked out as the senior cops hardly take cognizance of these incidents and the concerned police station refers these as a routine.
A businessman Ayub Siddiqui had a narrow escape from the gang of conmen near Hazratganj crossing on Monday evening. Though Siddiqui’s alertness landed the miscreant behind bars later, the rest of the gang members managed to flee.
Siddiqui, a resident of Gomti Nagar, who runs a furniture business, had left his shop and was heading towards his home on his Maruti Zen. Hardly had he reached the Hazratganj crossing than a youth knocked the windowpanes at the driving seat.
The youth, in a panicky voice, asked Siddiqui to stop the car as it had caught fire.
Siddiqui immediately stopped the vehicle and started checking the parts but failed to detect flames. Meanwhile, the youth came close to him and asked him to open the bonnet of the car and to arrange a piece of cloth. Siddiqui opened the bonnet but told the youth that there was no cloth lying in the car.
The youth immediately asked Siddiqui to bring a screwdriver. While the latter moved for he felt some foul play as why was the youth insisting on mending the car when no snag was detected. Suddenly, he spotted the youth leaning towards the front seat of the car where Siddiqui’s briefcase containing his licenced revolver, cash and the documents was placed.
Siddiqui immediately pounced upon the youth and started asking him questions. The youth initially identified himself as an employee of the same motor workshop where Siddiqui’s car goes for servicing. But, later the youth engaged in a verbal dual with Siddiqui.
The latter immediately called up the police and the suspect was brought to the police station.
He identified himself as Anil Dubey, a native of Gorakhpur. He also revealed that he was a drug-addict. Therefore he joined the gang of tricksters to arrange his regular dose.
A computer engineer too had fell prey to the same gang in Chowk when two minors suddenly had started hitting his car’s bonnet with a brick. As the engineer left the vehicle to admonish the boys someone stole the bag from the car containing a laptop, cellphone, cash and important documents. The boys too had fled the scene.
