Gone are the days when car thieves used rudimentary scales, hooks, rods, clubs, cutters and pliers to break open car locks before driving away with the booty. With increasing automation and availability of microprocessor controlled security and ignition systems, stealing high end cars was becoming more and more difficult.
However, professional auto-lifters have found the most sophisticated solution to suit their need of breaking in such expensive, chip controlled cars.
In a trap laid to catch such auto-lifters, a raiding party of Delhi Police zeroed in on four persons who had stolen a car. After spotting the cops, the four abandoned the stolen car and ran on foot.
During the chase, accused Ajay alias Sanjay suddenly towards the cops and opened fire. Showing great alacrity, the team took cover and Constable Irshad, who was leading the chase, returned fire from his service weapon which was aimed towards the sky. Soon, the accused and his associates were overpowered and caught, and the weapon seized.
"The diagnostic kit recovered from the arrested is of the latest make and is manufactured in England. It costs around Rs 3 lakh and is used primarily by authorised companies for diagnosing faults in expensive cars and SUVs," said Ishwar Singh, DCP South. This tool is the costly diagnostic kit, employed by authorised service stations to analyse faults in the car-computers when taken for repairs, rectifications or upgrades. The diagnostic kit reads the cars' computer system, detects the faults if any, and is then used for necessary repairs by trained mechanic and engineer.
In the hands expert auto-lifters, the portable kit becomes the tool of robbery.