3 vehicles stolen every day in Chandigarh, busy markets targeted
On an average, three vehicles, mostly two-wheelers, are stolen in the city every day. As many as 2,717 vehicles had been stolen in the past two and a half years. Of these, only 631 could be recovered by the police.
According to the UT police data, 596 vehicles have been stolen from various parts of Chandigarh till June this year. The police stations of Sector 39 (92 cases), Sector 34 (84 cases), Sector 36 (62 cases) have reported a maximum number of thefts till June 30. Areas under the jurisdiction of the Sector 11, 17 and Mani Majra police stations have also seen a significant number of vehicle thefts with 57, 54 and 45 cases, respectively.
Police sources said the majority of stolen vehicles are two-wheelers, particularly Activa scooters.
Despite the high number of thefts each year, the recovery rate remains low. This year, the police have managed to work out only 196 vehicle theft cases, out of a total of 596.
In 2023, of 1,164 stolen vehicles, only 258 were recovered. In 2022, 957 vehicles were stolen but only 264 recovered.
The police found a large number of stolen vehicles abandoned across the city. Vehicle thefts remain a persistent challenge to the police, forcing the department to establishment an Anti-Vehicle Theft Unit within the Crime Branch several years ago.
The police said the reporting of vehicle thefts had increased after the introduction of the e-FIR facility.
The four-wheelers, which are stolen from the city, are mostly old ones and lack a proper security system, they added. “New cars have a better security system and are hard to break,” said a police official.
An analysis by the police has revealed that thefts commonly occur in crowded market areas and parking lots. Most incidents take place in broad daylight.
A police source stated that busy market areas were frequent targets of vehicle thieves, who often operate during daytime.
Investigations by the police have revealed that a number of stolen vehicles were used in snatchings in and around the city. According to a police officer, most thieves are drug addicts, who steal vehicles to perpetrate crimes and abandon these when they ran out of fuel.
A few vehicle thieves admitted to having stolen two-wheelers simply for joy rides, the police added.
In some cases, while thieves drove around in stolen vehicles, their owners received traffic slips for various challans generated on the basis of CCTV surveillance.
Vulnerable areas
Areas that fall under the jurisdiction of police stations of Sectors 34, 36, 39, 17 and 11 witness the maximum number of vehicle thefts in the city.
