Itanagar police crack inter-state auto theft racket, recover 57 cars worth ₹30.5 Cr

Itanagar, July 29: In a major breakthrough, the Itanagar capital police dismantled a large inter-state vehicle theft and smuggling syndicate, recovering 57 high-end stolen vehicles worth over Rs 30.5 crore, the largest single police station recovery in the country so far, a senior officer said on Monday.

Acting on credible intelligence, the police registered a suo motu case and constituted a special investigation team (SIT).

Speaking to the press, Capital SP Jummar Basar said the crackdown commenced on July 2, and during the investigation, a total of 57 stolen luxury vehicles were recovered from various locations across the Itanagar capital region.

The police also arrested five people associated with the gang.

All the recovered vehicles were found to be blacklisted and linked to theft and robbery cases across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other states, the SP added.

The gang primarily targeted luxury vehicles in Delhi-NCR and neighbouring states. After theft, the vehicles were routed through a network of brokers who altered engine and chassis numbers, forged documents, and facilitated smuggling to Arunachal Pradesh, where they were sold to unsuspecting buyers at below-market prices.

Preliminary investigation suggested possible international links, indicating that either the stolen vehicles or associated funds might be routed through digital money trails or handled by cross-border agents.

Meanwhile, police issued a public advisory, urging citizens to verify vehicle ownership via the VAHAN portal or respective RTO records, avoid purchasing vehicles with incomplete or suspicious documentation, and report any suspicious dealers or vehicles to the nearest police station.