42 stolen cars recovered

After Lali,the second dealer of the market to land in custody is Harinder Singh alias Goldy.

“After investigations,we found that this is an inter-state gang of car lifters,scrap dealers,insurance companies and the car dealers. We have so far been able to arrest a car dealer,a mechanic and three scrap dealers and are looking for other accused who are part of the large racket,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police,Alok Kumar,at a press conference.

He said that the police is also investigating the role of the surveyors and insurance companies. “ Our focus is on to break the nexus of vehicle lifters,scrap dealers,surveyors and insurance companies and car dealers,” he said.

Giving details,Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP),Chandigarh Naunihal Singh said that out of the 42 high end cars,majority of the them were sold from the Chandigarh’s car market.

“This gang would keep an eye on vehicles fully damaged in the accidents which were later sold to the scrap dealers along with the documents of the vehicle. The gang would ensure that a similar model car was stolen from various states and they would install the registration and chassis number of fully damaged cars on the stolen cars,showing that they have got the damaged vehicles repaired,” SSP said.

Singh said that during the one month investigations so far,they have found that 11 vehicles which were fully damaged in the accidents were in fact stolen cars.

“We are investigating about the other cars and are are waiting for the CFSL report,” he said.

The five arrested have been identified as Harinder Singh alias Goldy; Nadeem of Bhapu Dham Colony,a mechanic; Vipin Kumar alias Bhalu of Mohali,Mohammad Amir and Kasim,residents of Bhapu Dham and all were scrap dealers.

“During the investigation,we came to know about the gang,whose members we just apprehended. On September 22,Chandigarh Police received a tip-off that Vipin Kumar a scrap dealer in Burail village,Chandigarh purchases damaged vehicles in scrap and converts stolen vehicles of the same colour and model into genuine vehicles. On this information,Vipin was arrested and a white Innova was also seized. The vehicle of this registration number had met with an accident on December 31,2010 at Phagwara,Punjab and the original owner of the vehicle had sold as scrap to Vipin,” said a police officer investigating the case.