ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) of the capital police claimed to have busted a gang involved in stealing vehicles and demanding ransoms from their owners.

However, the police are confused how the suspects used mobile phones to contact the owners of the stolen cars without being traced because all non-registered SIMs have been blocked in the country.

According to a police spokesperson, on a tip-off a team of the ACLC intercepted a car (AFH-9004) at the Motorway Chowk which was driven by a resident of Bannu.

The police recovered a 30-bore pistol and three mobile phones from the driver.

The engine and chassis numbers of the vehicle were found tampered, he added.

During the preliminary investigation, the accused confessed to lifting cars from Islamabad and different parts of Punjab along with his two accomplices.

The suspect said after stealing the cars they used to contact their owners from a mobile phone to strike a deal and return the cars to them.

The police record showed that the two accomplices of the arrested man had already spent some time in jail on car lifting charges but were later released on bail. The police have formed separate teams to also arrest the two suspects.

Investigation officer (IO) of the case Manzoor Elahi while quoting the statement of the arrested man said the mobile phone SIM which was used to contact the car owners was bought by the suspect from the tribal areas for Rs5,000. “We have decided to find out who is the owner of the SIM as all the non-registered SIMs have been blocked in the country,” he said.

In reply to a question, the IO said the suspect also stated that most of the owners left their business cards along with the registration book and other papers in their cars so the thieves contacted them on that numbers to strike a deal.

“If the stolen car is worth Rs800,000, they usually would say that they purchased the vehicle for Rs300,000 from the thieves and wanted to sell it for Rs500,000.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2015

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