Bengaluru: Vehicle thieves arrested, nine mini trucks, SUV seized

Bengaluru: The Kamakshipalya police in the city have arrested a gang of four vehicle thieves and seized nine mini trucks and an SUV worth around Rs 1 crore. One of the key members of the gang successfully evaded the police for the last 10 years.

The arrested vehicle-lifters are identified as Syed Irfan alias Nihal, 52, a native of Shivamogga, Bhaskar Shalin, 46, of Dakshina Kannada, Shahid Ahmed, 19, Idayat Sharif, 19, both from Shivamogga. The team of Kamakshipalya police including police sub-inspectors Santosh and Sharif Kallimani analysed more than 200 CCTV cameras from Bengaluru to Mangaluru to nab the gang.

Investigating into a theft of a mini truck belonging to a private firm in July, the police zeroed in on the gang. Nihal with the help of others had stolen the mini truck from Techno Setting Factory Park, Kottigepalya. The truck was parked on the premises of the firm's park.

According to police, Nihal and Bhaskar became friends when they were in jail. Nihal was last arrested in 2011 by Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths. By then he was accused in murder, attempt to murder, dacoity attempt, theft and other cases. After coming out on bail he had been on the run.

Nihal and his associates used to come to Bengaluru with the sole purpose of stealing vehicles. They would connect the ignition cables directly and start the vehicles without key. After stealing they used to roam in the city for more than an hour and then go towards Dabaspet. They used to park the vehicle in isolated places and remove the fast tag and other identification marks to get past toll gates and leave police no clues. Nihal, a past master in stealing vehicles, used to carry a fake number plate and replace it with original one and then drive the vehicle to Sakaleshpura and then to Mangaluru.

Once they reached Mangaluru, they used to search for the scrap vehicles or those damaged in accidents and change the engine and chassis. They used to sell the stolen vehicles for people in need of used vehicles without documents by assuring the buyer that they would give him necessary documents within a week. But, they used to switch off the mobile phone.

The police have recovered a Hyundai Creta (SUV) from the gang. They had stolen the SUV from Delhi. The vehicle owner filed a complaint and claimed insurance. Though the gang members had not confessed to stealing the SUV, when the police scanned the engine number and checked the records got to know the lies of the thieves.