Maha: Four arrested for stealing cars, fraudulently selling them, duping financial firms

While probing a car theft that took place in Rabale on December 18 last year, we zeroed in on two accused, both of whom were drivers of a cab aggregator firm, he said.Their interrogation led to the arrest of two associates. They used to target damaged cars whose details were uploaded on the websites of insurance firms.

Four persons, including two drivers of a cab aggregator firm, were arrested for allegedly stealing cars, a Navi Mumbai police official said on Thursday.

Thirteen cars with a cumulative value of Rs 70 lakh have been seized from them, Navi Mumbai Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Deepak Sakore told reporters.

''The Crime Branch had made teams after several car thefts were reported in Rabale, Kharghar, Kamote, NRI and Sanpada police station limits. While probing a car theft that took place in Rabale on December 18 last year, we zeroed in on two accused, both of whom were drivers of a cab aggregator firm,'' he said.

''Their interrogation led to the arrest of two associates. They used to target damaged cars whose details were uploaded on the websites of insurance firms. They would buy these damaged cars through auction, replace the engine and chassis numbers of cars they used to steal with that of the damaged ones and then sell it to unsuspecting customers,'' the DCP said.

The accused have also duped financial firms and banks by obtaining loans on such damaged cars, he added.

Cases are registered against them in Mumbai and Thane, as well as Baroda and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the official said.