Pune: Wakad Police Arrest Mechanic-Turned-Criminal in SUV Theft Ring

Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Pimpri Chinchwad, 11th January 2025: Pimpri Chinchwad Police have arrested four serial vehicle thieves specializing in stealing Hyundai cars. The thieves have a nationwide network with cases registered against them across the country. Four vehicles, all SUVs, have been recovered from them. The thieves are experts in automobile knowledge and, by implementing this expertise along with their contacts, they evaded police for a long time until the law caught up with them.

The Detection Branch (DB) of Wakad Police Station under the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate (PCPC) took this action.

The Wakad Police have arrested Altaf Qasam Attar (40, resident of Dehu Road), Zuber Kayamuddin Qureshi (34, resident of Uttar Pradesh), Musahid Aliyas Khan (31, resident of Haryana), and Janishar Kamar Ali (38, resident of Madhya Pradesh).

Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad said a complaint was registered on 2nd January regarding a stolen Hyundai Creta at Wakad Police Station. Assistant Police Inspector Subhash Chavan, head of Wakad Police Station DB, led the search for the stolen car. The team analyzed nearly 100 CCTVs in the theft area, including the old Mumbai-Pune Highway, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and Lonavala area, to identify the accused. Based on the information received, three accused were detained near the Thergaon area in Pimpri Chinchwad. The fourth accused, Ali, was arrested on January 7th after the other three provided information during interrogation, DCP Gaikwad told.

DCP Gaikwad further mentioned that three Hyundai Cretas and one Kia Seltos were recovered from the accused. Nine cases have been solved, including four from Wakad Police Station, one from Chinchwad Police Station, one from Bhosari Police Station, one from MIDC Bhosari Police Station, and two from Panvel Police Station (Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate), told DCP Gaikwad.

Items worth Rs 54.43 lakh were seized from the accused, including four cars, garage tools, multiple keys from different companies, number plates, and five mobile phones. This operation by the Pimpri Chinchwad Police has successfully dismantled a sophisticated vehicle theft ring operating across multiple states in India.

This operation was conducted under the guidance of Pimpri Chinchwad Commissioner of Police Vinoy Kumar Choubey, Joint Commissioner of Police Dr Shashikant Mahavarkar, Additional Commissioner of Police Vasant Pardeshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) Vishal Gaikwad, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Wakad Division) Sunil Kurade. The team, led by Senior Police Inspector Nivrutti Kolhatkar, included Assistant Police Inspector Subhash Chavan, Police Sub-Inspectors Aniruddha Savarde and Vibhishan Kanherkar, and Police Constables Sandeep Gawari, Chandu Gire, Dnyandev Zende, Kauntey Kharade, Saudagar Lamture, Tatyasaheb Shinde, Namdev Wadekar, Vijay Bhusare, Sachin Gaikwad, Ramchandra Talpe, Vijay Ghadage, Deepak Sabale, and Mangesh Lokhande.

Experts in Vehicle Theft?

Attar and Ali are national-level criminals with cases registered with the Delhi Police. Attar, being local to Pune District, is knowledgeable about cars and had replacement glass ready for the stolen vehicles. Khan, a former mechanic at Hyundai service centres, was particularly skilled with Creta cars and could start them within minutes. Qureshi, with his contacts in the automobile industry, was responsible for selling spare parts and stolen cars.