Inter-dist vehicle snatcher gang busted, 4 nabbed

In a major breakthrough against the organised vehicle theft, the Nakodar police have dismantled an inter-district vehicle lifting gang with the arrest of four individuals and recovery of four stolen two-wheelers. The gang had been actively operating across multiple districts of Punjab, targeting two-wheelers.

The accused have been identified as Manpreet Singh, resident of Sharakpur Colony, Nakodar; Jaswinder Singh, resident of village Talwan; Abhishek Kumar, resident of village Talwan; and Raman, resident of Mohalla Guga Sai, Nakodar.

Superintendent of Police, Jalandhar rural, Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh, said the arrests were made under a special drive against the organised crime and anti-social elements. "This inter-district gang had created a sophisticated network for stealing and disposing of vehicles across Punjab. Their arrest is a significant achievement in our ongoing efforts to curb vehicle theft in the region," said SSP Khakh.

The operation was supervised by Jasroop Kaur Bath, Superintendent of Police (Investigation), and Sukhpal Singh, DSP, Nakodar, and Inspector Aman Saini, SHO, Nakodar. A special team led by ASI Rajinder Kumar made the arrests on February 1 following a tip-off.

The recovered vehicles include a Splendour Plus motorcycle bearing registration number Punjab-08-ET-9108, a Passion Plus motorcycle (PB-08-BG-8385), one CD Deluxe motorcycle and an Activa scooter, with the latter two having their registration plates removed to avoid detection.

Investigation revealed that all four accused were habitual offenders with multiple cases registering against them across different police stations. The kingpin, Jaswinder Singh, has four criminal cases registered against him, including charges of robbery and criminal conspiracy.

"The police have registered a fresh case under Sections 303(2), 3(5) of the BNS. More recoveries are expected as the team investigates their wider network, particularly focusing on those involved in purchasing and selling these stolen vehicles," SSP Khakh added.

The accused will be produced in a court where the police will seek their remand for further investigation.

SSP Khakh appealed to the public to park their vehicles in well-lit areas and use additional security measures. "While we continue our crackdown on such gangs, public awareness and precaution play a crucial role in preventing vehicle theft," he emphasised.

Box:

• Four members arrested, all with criminal backgrounds

• Operating across multiple districts in Punjab

• Used sophisticated methods to avoid detection

THE RECOVERY

Four vehciles and Rs 4 lakh cash

• Splendor Plus motorcycle (PB-08-ET-9108)

• Passion Plus motorcycle (PB-08-BG-8385)

• CD Deluxe motorcycle (without number)

• Activa scooter (without number)

• Total worth: Approximately ₹4 lakh