Rajasthan ranks fourth in vehicle thefts

JAIPUR: At least 50 vehicles are stolen in Rajasthan each day, which according to the 2017 NCRB data is the fourth highest in the country.


The list is topped by Delhi (40,972), followed by Uttar Pradesh (34,803), Maharashtra (34,803) and Rajasthan (17,673).

Police said most stolen bikes usually end up as a wood-cutting machines or as a jugad in some dusty corners of rural Rajasthan.

Stolen four-wheelers are usually sent to faraway corners of the country once their chassis numbers are removed.

According Rajasthan police, there is a glut of stolen bikes in the grey market. Many villagers themselves are wary of purchasing bikes from reprobate salesman selling a Rs 45,000 bike for Rs 10,000.

An official informed TOI that it takes just Rs 2,000 to dismantle a new bike. “The bike engine is always a prized catch as it can be used in small workshops and for irrigation,” the official said, adding that some gangs steal bikes and cars only to extract tyres.

Police said after dismantling bikes, each part is carefully extracted and sold in packets to second-hand dealers. “Many people in villages are now highly suspicious of buying vehicles from second-hand sellers. They ask for original papers and other documents which becomes an impossible task for the accused to provide, therefore, they sell separate parts to different dealers,” added another official.

Jugad, though banned in Rajasthan, are still most favoured mode of traveling in places like Dausa, Karauli and Swai Madhopur. “It is a simple process. The bike is tied to a trolley and turned into a three-wheel vehicle. Apart from this omnipresent rural mode of transportation, bike engines are widely used for irrigation purposes in Uttar Pradesh and parts of Punjab,” the official added.

Stealing bikes have also become easy in Rajasthan. The gadget used by gangs is called T, a tool with a plastic grip and a long sharp nail which can crack any advanced locking system. The tool is responsible for 80 per cent of all thefts in Jaipur. “The tool is easy to hide in sleeves or under a turban. They put it into the ignition lock which damages the locking system,” the official claimed.