38 auto-part theft cases solved with man’s arrest

Though the arrest has been dubbed a "major success", two persons said to be responsible for committing the thefts managed to give the police a slip. Sources point out that on Sunday evening, the police had laid a trap for the thieves in Sector 25. The two, who came in a car to sell some stolen goods to the scrap dealer, however, sensed the police move and escaped from the police net, leaving behind some auto-parts, sources revealed. Neither of the policemen on duty could take down the registration number of the car, a police official admitted.

The Inspector General of Police, R.P. Singh, when questioned on the escape of the culprits, said: "The stolen parts have been recovered and interrogations are on. Now, it is only a matter of catching those two men." When questioned as to why the police failed to catch the two, he said he was not aware of the complete details of the case.

Meanwhile, another police official said that the two others involved in committing the thefts are suspected to be either auto-mechanics or college-going youngsters addicted to drug abuse. "They have been operative in the City for the past over two months and their modus operandi is to either steal cars, remove parts and abandon them or to remove parts of parked cars. Most of these thefts were committed after dusk," he added. The stolen parts, according to preliminary interrogations, were sold for Rs 100 each to the dealer.

Sources say the gang was discovered after the scrap dealer allegedly approached someone to sell the stolen property he had acquired.

Of the theft cases solved following the arrest, 27 were registered in the south division alone, five in the Sector 17 police station, four in the Sector 19 police station and two in the Sector 26 police station, according to the police.