Arrests give cops insight into new modus operandi of car theft

NEW DELHI: Over time, the modus operandi of vehicle theft has changed.

And with the arrest of repeated offender Kunal, a Delhi Police team came to know of another new modus operandi.

In this method, the accused would procure documents of a car damaged severely in an accident, along with other scrap.

He would then steal another car of the same model, and replace the chassis number of the damaged car with that of the stolen one so as to sell it off further.

One of the investigating officers who arrested Kunal stated that he used to procure the documents of the damaged or 'total loss' vehicles from insurance companies, along with scrap necessary to revamp it.

After obtaining the documents of the vehicle, he would pass over details about the make and model of car to his associates.

From these instructions, the associates would target a car or vehicle of same make and colour and deliver the same to him.

"They used to tamper with the engine number and chassis number of the stolen car, and then engrave the engine number and chassis number of the 'total loss' car, with the help of other associates. After completing all the formalities, they used to sell the said car in the open market," the investigator elaborated.

He further said that with this modus operandi, a stolen vehicle which had been declared as total loss would be given the identity of a new vehicle.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Romil Baaniya said that Kunal revealed that he used to steal cars along with his accomplice, Irshad, and had stolen hundreds of cars from Delhi-NCR region.

Kunal further disclosed that he had given the stolen cars to Ashraf at Muzafarnagar and Mohammad Shadab at Ghaziabad.

The DCP further said: "Investigation revealed that prior to theft of a particular vehicle, the team would scout for and locate vehicles of particular make and color, which have been declared as total loss vehicle by insurance companies due to accounts."

"These vehicles, along with their documents, are then purchased by the gang through scrap dealers at a high rate," the DCP added. Police have also found a network of car dealers spread across the country, who sell these stolen vehicles as genuine vehicles.