Auto-lifter who stole cop’s motorcycle, arrested

However, what the police did not know at the time of arrest about the auto-lifter is that he had stolen a motorcycle belonging to an on-duty head constable of Rajouri Garden police station. The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police arrested a 24-year-old Sonu Panchal who had stolen a motorcycle of a head constable from right under his nose while the latter was on-duty at the Rajouri Garden police station of West District.

According to the police, Panchal is a resident of Shahdara. On march 31, based on a tip-off by an informer that Panchal will be coming to meet his accomplice, he was arrested.

“On Wednesday, we received a tip-off informing about the Panchal’s arrival at Nand Nagri area to strike deal of a stolen motorcycle,” said the officer privy to the matter. “At that time we did not know that the motorcycle belonged to a police officer itself,” added the officer.

Panchal arrived at Gagan Cinemas in the area in the evening with a stolen motorcycle.

“A trap was laid and the accused was nabbed,” said the officer adding that the motorcycle was a Honda Stunner. According to police officials, the FIR of the lost motorcycle was registered online on Wednesday under IPC Section 379 in Rajouri Garden police station. 

“After our investigation, we found out that the motorcycle was stolen from outside Rajouri Garden police station — belonging to a head constable on duty — sitting in front of the parking of the station,” added the officer. Two other motorcycles were recovered from his possession that he had 

stolen from the area under the jurisdiction of Bhalaswa Dairy police station and Indirapuram police station of Delhi and Ghaziabad respectively. 

Panchal started stealing bikes to meet his financial ends after he dropped out from Xth standard and has worked as mechanic in Hyundai Company. 

“Panchal had also been detained earlier when he was a juvenile over a snatching case in North-east Delhi’s Mansarovar Park,” added the officer.