The Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of Delhi Police's Central District has busted a Punjab-based inter-state car theft racket with the arrest of two alleged autolifters from Amritsar, officials said on Wednesday, October 21, news agency ANI reported. Police recovered five stolen cars — four Hyundai Cretas and one Maruti Suzuki Dzire — and said the recoveries have worked out five motor vehicle theft cases registered across the national capital.

The arrested accused have been identified as Shamsher (33) and Rinku alias Rinky (39), both residents of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar, Punjab. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central District) Rohit Rajbir Singh, the probe began after a complaint about the theft of a white Hyundai Creta parked outside a residence in Old Rajinder Nagar on October 14. An e-FIR under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was lodged at Rajinder Nagar police station, and a team led by Inspector Sandeep Dabas, in-charge of AATS/Central District, under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Padam Singh Rana, was tasked with tracking down the culprits.

Through manual intelligence and technical surveillance, the team traced a Punjab-based syndicate that allegedly targeted well-maintained vehicles in Delhi-NCR during night hours, affixed fake registration number plates, and drove them to Punjab for disposal, the DCP said. Acting on specific inputs, the team raided Jandiala Guru in Amritsar on October 16 and apprehended Shamsher, recovering a stolen black Hyundai Creta linked to a theft case at Begampur police station in Rohini. During interrogation, Shamsher allegedly disclosed the involvement of his associate Rinku alias Rinky, who was arrested from Amritsar the same day, and the white Creta stolen from Rajinder Nagar was recovered at his instance. Further disclosures led to the recovery of three more stolen vehicles, solving theft cases registered at Janakpuri, Rajouri Garden and Netaji Subhash Place police stations.

Police said the duo allegedly handed over the stolen vehicles to an associate identified as Harpreet alias Honey, a resident of Amritsar, for disposal. Efforts are underway to arrest the alleged receiver and other syndicate members and to recover additional stolen vehicles, police added. The allegations are under investigation.