Three held for vehicle theft racket

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested three auto lifters associated with the infamous Gogi Gang, recovering a country-made pistol, two live cartridges, and two stolen vehicles.

The accused were identified as Gurmeet (35), Kuldeep (45), and Jasbeer (39), all were residents of Jhangola, Alipur, Delhi.

According to the police, the accused were caught while attempting to sell a stolen Hyundai Venue car. Kuldeep, the gang leader, has a history of 20 criminal cases, including auto theft, cheating, and other crimes in the Delhi-

NCR region.

Based on surveillance and secret inputs, a team led by Sub-Inspectors Manvendra and Kaushik Ghosh, under the supervision of ACP Yashpal Singh, intercepted the suspects’ vehicle. A suspicious white Hyundai Venue with a broken front glass was stopped near the plant. Upon inspection, officers discovered a loaded .32-bore pistol in Kuldeep’s possession. The car, stolen a day earlier, was verified to have been taken from Wazirabad.

Kuldeep and his gang employed a sophisticated strategy for their thefts. They targeted vehicles at night and used the secure communication app “Zangi” to avoid detection.

Stolen vehicles were checked for GPS devices, sold to scrappers, and disguised as accident-damaged cars with altered engine and chassis numbers. The gang also supplied stolen vehicles to members of the Gogi Gang.

Kuldeep revealed he resumed auto theft to fund his daughter’s upcoming marriage after being released from jail a month ago. His brother Jasbeer, a carpenter, and Gurmeet, a dairy van driver, were his accomplices. The police recovered a pistol, two live cartridges, two stolen cars, and an internet dongle used for their operations.