Auto thief who drove away with police vehicle held

A notorious automobile thief who had stolen vehicles, including a police vehicle fitted with flashlights, for outstation joyrides has been arrested, police said on Wednesday.

Ajay, 32, had driven off with a Quick Reaction Team Gypsy from Kotla Mubarakpur area in south Delhi on August 6.

He was arrested on Tuesday night from his house in Tughlaq Lane slums.

"Ajay is a notorious auto thief involved in a theft case as well as one under the Arms Act. A Maruti Swift Dzire and Honda City stolen from areas falling under Defence Colony and Mandir Marg police stations were seized from him," Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said.

Govindpuri police recovered the Gypsy from Tehkhand village during night patrol on Monday night.

Police zeroed in on Ajay after scanning closed-circuit television footage from the village, where he had dumped the police vehicle, the DCP said.

"He told police that he stole vehicles and modified them before going for outstation rides for fun," he added.

The accused had been to Manali, Shimla, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and other tourist places in stolen vehicles after changing their appearance and registration numbers.

He later dumped the vehicles at deserted places, the officer said.

--IANS

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