Police in Arunachal Pradesh have dismantled two separate vehicle theft networks operating across the state and neighbouring Assam, recovering 15 high-end cars and 10 stolen scooters and apprehending eight people, including four minors, officials said.
In Kra Daadi district, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by DySP Mape Zirdo busted a racket allegedly involved in stealing high-end vehicles. Superintendent of Police Sepraj Perme said four alleged operatives were arrested and 15 vehicles suspected to have been stolen by the syndicate were recovered.
The arrested accused were identified as Zahangir Alam, Mojhibur Rahman, Mohammad Sablu and Md Gargantuan Ali, all residents of Assam. Police identified Alam, who was arrested from Barpeta, as the alleged kingpin of the operation.
Investigators said the syndicate allegedly stole luxury vehicles from the Delhi-NCR region before transporting them to Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland for resale. The gang allegedly approached prospective buyers and, in some instances, involved people who were unaware of the vehicles’ origins in the transactions.
Police said the investigation has been completed and a chargesheet has been filed in the case.
In a separate operation in Itanagar, police recovered 10 stolen scooters and apprehended four Children in Conflict with Law (CCWLs), uncovering a suspected inter-state two-wheeler theft network operating across the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) and Assam.
The investigation began after a scooter was reported stolen from Zoo Road in Itanagar, following which a case was registered at Chimpu Police Station. Intensified naka checking and patrolling subsequently led police to intercept a minor riding a suspected stolen scooter.
During questioning, the minor allegedly disclosed details about several two-wheeler thefts and provided information that helped investigators identify other members of the suspected network.
A team led by Chimpu Police Station Officer-in-Charge Inspector N Nishant subsequently recovered five stolen scooters from different locations in Gohpur, Assam. In another operation, a team led by SI Taba Tate seized four TVS NTORQ scooters from Ganga village for ownership verification and examination of possible links to theft cases.
Police said four CCWLs have so far been apprehended in connection with the suspected two-wheeler theft network. Preliminary investigation indicates that the juveniles allegedly stole scooters from the ICR and transported them to Assam for disposal.
The ownership of the recovered scooters is being verified, while further investigation is underway to determine whether the networks are connected to other unresolved vehicle theft cases.
