Inter-state gang of car thieves arrested

Bangalore, Oct 22 (UNI) Police have nabbed a 16-member inter-state gang of car thieves and recovered 20 cars and eight two wheelers worth over Rs 1.42 crore, Commissioner of Police Neelam Achutha Rao said today.

Talking to newsmen here, he said the modus operandi of the gang was to cut open the steering lock of luxury cars parked on the roads during the night and drive them away. The stolen cars were being sold in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh with fake registration numbers.

The accused also used to hire cars from owners purportedly to operate taxi services. However, after taking them to neighbouring states, they would use fake company documents to get them registered afresh in the local RTOs and sell them.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Gopal Hosur, who was also present, said a police team from Tamil Nadu had arrived to interrogate the arrested.

He said an investigation was also on to nab another gang reportedly operating in Vishakapatnam selling cars stolen from the southern states, to clients in the north.

UNI