Woman arrested for stealing 5,000 cars over 10 years

Police are now looking into the possibility of invoking the stringent MCOCA against her. Police claimed Devi was running the racket along with six accomplices,including her two brothers Bhoop Singh and Vipin.

While the rest have been arrested,Vipin is on the run.

According to police,Devi told them that she took to crime as her husband,an alcoholic,would not work. She is a resident of Gurgaon.

Devi’s modus operandi,according to police,was to steal luxury cars in Delhi and ask her agents in Northeastern states to prepare fake documents for the vehicles. The documents were sent to Devi via post or courier.

“They would replace the number plates of the cars corresponding to the ones mentioned in the fake documents. The cars would be transferred by road or rail to Guwahati and other Northeastern states,where the agents would sell the cars to locals. The money was sent to Devi through e-transfer,after agents deducted their commission,” said a senior police officer.

Six members of her gang,including her brothers,have spent time in prison in connection with a case of auto-lifting registered at the Gokulpuri police station. The case was solved by the Special Staff of the Northeast Delhi police.

Police have sealed Devi’s bank account with the State Bank of India, Gurgaon. A probe is on to ascertain if she had more such bank accounts. Police suspect that transactions of over a few crores were made through the accounts.

“They would target only luxury cars and new vehicles,” the officer said,adding that over 5,000 such cars have been stolen. The SBI account,sealed by police,revealed a transaction of Rs 40 lakh.