Inter-state vehicle thieves busted in Pune

The crime branch unit (IV) has busted an inter-state racket involving six people, in connection with thefts of 80 vehicles in the city and has recovered six stolen four-wheelers, together valued at Rs50 lakh.

The police said the suspects had also stolen 150 four-wheelers from Mumbai, Gujarat, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Thane in the last three years.

The suspects have been identified as Abidkhan alias Salman Muktarkhan Pathan, 19, Afsar Ahmed Ekramali Kureshi alias Javed alias Bijali, 30, Mayur Dhirajlal Devani, 30, Shaktisingh Bojrajsingh Rana, 33 — all arrested on January 24 from Gujarat— and Ali Ahmed Mukhtar Ahmed Khan, 32, and Rajaram alias Raju Sultaram Devasi, 33, of Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, additional commissioner of police (crime), Anant Shinde said, “The suspects were targeting parked vehicles and stole them by using duplicate keys. Then, they used drive the vehicle to a safe place and shift all vehicles together to other states.’’

He said once they crossed the state, the gang used to change the registration plates of vehicles with those of other states. “They used to transport vehicles to Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Nepal,’’ Shinde added.

The suspects mainly targeted high-priced vehicles which have good market price. “The suspects targeted areas like Bhosari, Nigdi, Hadapsar, Sahakarnagar and Pimpri. Moreover, all the suspects were history sheeters with criminal backgrounds.’’

The team comprising police inspector Sunil Pawar, Sunil Bhosale, assistant police inspector Shaukat Ali Sayyad and police constable Sikandar Jamadar arrested gang members. The suspects were produced before the court and were remanded in police custody till February 17.