Over 5 vehicles were reported stolen every hour in Delhi in 2018: Police

More than five vehicles were reported stolen every hour in the national capital last year, data released by the Delhi Police on Wednesday showed.

A total of 44,158 motor vehicle theft cases were reported in 2018 as against 39,084 such cases in 2017.

Among the stolen vehicles, 32,984 (74.70 per cent) were two-wheelers, 8,036 (18.20 per cent) were cars and 3,138 (7.11 per cent) other vehicles. As many as 4,619 (10.46 per cent) stolen vehicles were recovered and 6,751 auto lifters arrested, the data stated.

According to the data for the city, 418 vehicles were reported stolen per one lakh vehicles in 2018, while the corresponding number for 2017 was 379.

Motor vehicle thefts accounted for about 19 per cent of the total IPC cases in the city in 2018, and in about 12 per cent of such cases, the stolen vehicles were found to have been registered outside Delhi, it showed.

The data stated that the rise in thefts was due to a increase in vehicles, inadequate parking space and parking on roadsides.

The reluctance of vehicle-owners to install safety devices was also stated as a major reason behind thefts, police said, adding that advertisements have been issued from time to time in newspapers, advising people to install anti-auto-theft devices.

Some of the steps taken to curb motor vehicle thefts include identification of affected places, proper deployment of staff in these areas and manufacturers being requested to install security devices in vehicles.