Anti-Theft Squad arrests kingpin who was behind Crime Branch official’s car theft

The Anti-Theft Squad of the North-west District of Delhi has captured and uncovered a 

Meerut-based gang after a Crime Branch official’s Innova was stolen. With the arrest of the kingpin, the police claimed to have solved more than 125 cases of Motor Vehicle theft.

The gang claims to have stolen four to five cars each day. Police have arrested the kingpin, Mohd Ishtiaq (34) and have recovered 19 Engine Control Modules, 16 Body Control Modules, batteries, and various other tools used by the gang to steal cars. Meanwhile, the other two members are still evading arrest.

Sources said that on May 20 at around 10 pm, three men came in a Hyundai Creta and within a few minutes, opened the Inspector’s Silver Innova through the quartet panel and rode away with the vehicle parked outside his house in Pitampura.

In order to curb the menace of Motor Vehicle theft cases in the district, where several cars from Maurya Enclave and its surrounding areas were stolen, three teams of the Anti-Theft Squad were tasked to solve the case. 

“While going through the CCTV footage, one of the teams saw that the trio came in a Hyundai Creta. Using CCTV footage, we looked for the car. After 72 hours, we traced the car to Seemapuri. On June 3, we apprehended Ishtiaq in Dilshad Gardens,” said one of the investigating officers.

During interrogation, Ishtiaq revealed to the police how he along with two others, all of whom are natives of Meerut, stole the cars and passed it on to Hafeez Ali.

“They chose to steal a car around 10pm at night everyday. They came to Delhi by bus and kept the Creta parked in Seemapuri. From here, they drove away with the stolen vehicle to Meerut. Within a couple of hours of reaching Meerut, they gave away the stolen car to Hafeez Ali,” said the officer.

After the interrogation, Ishtiaq was arrested and sent to Judicial custody, according to the police. The police are conducting a search operation to nab the others accused.