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Interstate car theft racket busted; 11 Toyota Fortuners recovered, 31 cars seized
Delhi Police crime branch busted an interstate syndicate involved in stealing four-wheelers, tampering chassis numbers, forging registrations, and selling them in the second-hand market. Ten members were arrested across multiple states, with 31 stolen vehicles recovered, including 11 Toyota Fortuners.
Why It Matters
The operation exposes a cross-state vehicle theft network and its scale, including the alleged sale of over 1,000 stolen vehicles in recent years, highlighting law-enforcement challenges in tracking illicit vehicle trafficking.
Timeline
3 Events
Raids across northern states; 10 members arrested, 31 vehicles recovered
May 2, 2026
During raids in Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana on May 2, 2026, ten members of the syndicate were arrested and 31 stolen vehicles recovered, including 11 Toyota Fortuners. Police said the gang had sold over 1,000 stolen vehicles in the past few years. The seven other accused included a Pitampura resident who ran a furniture shop and acted as a middleman; a Delhi resident who procured stolen vehicles from auto-lifters; a Jalandhar resident dealing in used cars; a car dealer from Amritsar; a Faridabad resident who ran a workshop and tampered with chassis numbers; a New Friends Colony resident who purchased stolen vehicles to facilitate narcotics trafficking; and a Sangroor resident involved in lifting vehicles.
Hyundai Creta case transferred to Delhi crime branch
September 2025
The case was transferred to the Delhi crime branch a month after the August 5, 2025 incident.
Investigation into Hyundai Creta theft leads to suspected interstate syndicate
August 5, 2025
The syndicate came to light during an investigation into a stolen Hyundai Creta case in Delhi’s Maurya Enclave on August 5, 2025. The case was later moved to the crime branch.