ISLAMABAD, March 25: More cars on the city’s streets are making car thieves more merry. In the past 12 months they swept 250 cars off the capital’s streets, Dawn has learnt.

But the thieves are modest. They don’t fancy the dream models. Ironically, the small man is the big fish in their eyes.

Police records show that 35 per cent of the cars stolen were the tiny Mehran and 25 per cent the Suzuki pickup. For the car lifters the more expensive Toyota Corolla was a poor third choice with 20 per cent.

And their most favourite hunting place was Blue Area with its business and shopping centres where 40 per cent of all the stolen cars were lifted. District and sessions courts were the second and the I-9 Industrial Area the third on their list.

Their choicest hunting grounds fall under the jurisdictions of the Kohsar, Margalla and Sabzi Mandi police stations.

In fact the police headquarters are located in the grounds of the district courts which dispense justice to the victims of crime.

That, and the police’s ‘comprehensive security strategy’ to fight the crime, obviously make no difference to the gangs of car thieves.

Most of the gangs are said to be based in Mardan and Swat.

Insiders say the car thieves use two tactics to take their booty out of the city undetected.

Either the stolen car is kept in the parking lots of hospitals or business centres for a few days while its chassis number and registration plate is changed, or it is loaded on a truck at Sabzi Mandi and driven out hidden under a cargo of vegetables, fruit, straw and empty crates.

Most of the stolen vehicles are transported to the wild territory of Dara and from there to Afghanistan where they fetch good money.

Police finds it difficult to arrest gang members operating from Mardan and Swabi because of “local help” they are claimed to enjoy. “Whenever police organises a raid on their hideouts they get prior information and escape,” police sources say.

Even the dozens who were arrested and served terms in Adiala Jail rejoin the illicit but lucrative trade after their release.