Police busts interstate wheel theft racket

Police today claimed to have busted an interstate gang with arrest of three persons who were allegedly involved in stealing wheels of cars and sports utility vehicles and seized booty worth Rs 7 lakh from them.
A senior police official today said those arrested have been identified as Ayaz (24), his brother Atik (27) and a Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) based-tyre trader, Ali (35).
They were allegedly involved in 32 incidents of wheel thefts in Rajnandgaon and Balod districts, besides many other places in neighbouring Maharashtra, he said.
He said the police swung into action after several incidents of thefts of tyres, rims and stepneys (spare tyres) were reported from several places in Rajnandgaon.

Aayaz and Atik kept a watch on four-wheelers parked outside houses and garages at night after which they allegedly stole wheels of these vehicles, he said.
Later, they allegedly sold these to Ali, the official said, who was nabbed from his native place.

Acting on a tip-off, the police nabbed the two brothers while they were planning to steal wheels of a vehicle from Meregaon village under Ambagarh Chowki police station limits yesterday, he said.
As many as 46 rims of four-wheelers, five batteries and tyres, altogether worth Rs 7 lakh, were also recovered from them, he said, adding, a car, a mini-van and a motrcycle were also seized from them.

A case has been registered and a further probe is on, he said.