Autolifter arrested in Delhi

A 33-year-old man, suspected to be the kingpin of gangs of auto-lifters in Delhi, was arrested following an exchange of fire in outer Delhi's Najafgarh area, police said today.

The accused, Pramod alias Ganja, used to steal luxurious cars from various posh colonies on demand of receivers, they said.

As many as nine stolen vehicles, including a Fortuner, Eco Sports, Honda City, Baleno, and two high-speed motorcycles with a countrymade pistol and cartridges were recovered, said Alok Kumar, joint commissioner of police (Crime).

Acting on a tip-off, the Crime Branch team laid a trap and his car was intercepted near the Delhi Jal Board, Old Kakrola Road, Najafgarh, he said.

The accused was asked to surrender to the police team but he tried to flee by firing at them, the official said.

During interrogation, he revealed that he has been involved in more than two dozen criminal cases across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. He has different addresses in Mangol Puri and was externed from Delhi about a year ago, he said.

He would steal luxurious cars from posh colonies of Delhi and the neighbouring areas along with his associates after stealing the keys from cleaners/security guards outside big houses and mansions in posh colonies, the official added.

They would replace the original key with a fake one. Later, when the owner would get duplicate keys made and would leave from his residence, they would follow him, he said.

They would steal the car wherever the owner would park it by using the original keys they had stolen to unlock it, Kumar said.