The Ghatkopar police on Tuesday busted a major inter-state car-stealing racket following the arrest of a 25-year-old taxi driver, also a repeat offender, and a member of one such gang. While two cars have been recovered, the police claims that around 20 such cars from Mumbai have been stolen by the gang in the past one year and sold in UP’s Pratapgarh district. Two cars from different parts of Maharashtra have also been recovered.
The Ghatkopar police began investigations after theft cases involving a Toyota Qualis and Chevrolet Tavera were registered in February last year. Following a series of tip-offs, the police arrested Ashikali Qureshi from his residence at Narayan Nag-ar in Ghatkopar. Qureshi has several cases of car theft registered against him at Worli, Chembur, Navghar, Dadar and Matunga police stations.
The gang has solely stolen leading SUV brands, including Tavera, Qualis and Mahindra Bolero. While three other accomplices are absconding, Qureshi revealed a unique modus operandi. The gang drove around in Qureshi’s cab late in the night and after identifying a vehicle, parked the taxi near the car and staged a breakdown. “They parked the taxi close to the door of the vehicle to study the keyhole for duplicating the key. Even a police patrol car passing by would just ask them to hasten the repair and move along,” explained police inspector Rajkumar Kothimire. One of the gang members would then drive away in the vehicle the same night or the following day. The vehicles were sold in UP anywhere between `1 to 3 lakh. Qureshi was produced in court and remanded to police custody till January 17.