The Delhi police busted two inter-state car-jacking syndicates operating across Delhi-NCR and beyond, arrested seven autolifters and recovered four stolen vehicles, including an SUV, an officer said on Saturday.
With the arrests, the police claimed to have solved at least eight car-theft cases reported from different parts of the capital.
Tools used for dismantling vehicles and high-security registration plates were also seized during the operation, they said.
"Coordinated operations were conducted by the Delhi police in Delhi and Siliguri, West Bengal, following a specific intelligence input about stolen vehicles being transported across states," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vikram Singh said.
In the first operation, the police tracked the delivery of a stolen sports utility vehicle to Siliguri.
The vehicle, along with two other cars, was recovered after an interception, leading to the arrest of four accused -- Kaiminlen Haokip (26) hailing from Manipur's Churachandpur, Mohammad Jaani (42) of Uttar Pradesh, Mohammad Dildar (36) and Arjun (29), both natives of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh.
The police said Haokip worked as a driver for Jumma Khan, a key receiver of stolen vehicles who is currently absconding.
Dildar, a former truck driver familiar with northeastern routes, had earlier worked as a delivery boy for Khan but later, became a direct purchaser of stolen cars from Jaani.
Jaani, the police said, is a seasoned autolifter with 11 cases to his name.
He specialised in stealing SUVs and operated with Nepal-based associates.
He reportedly received advance orders from Dildar for specific models and sold each stolen Mahindra Thar car for Rs 2 lakh.
Arjun, who runs a number-plate shop in Sambhal, allegedly provided the gang with high-security registration plates to mask the identity of the stolen vehicles.
The stolen SUV was being transported to Manipur. It was intercepted in Siliguri with Haokip and Dildar inside. Based on their interrogation, the remaining members of the gang were identified and apprehended, police said.
In a separate operation, three more auto-lifters -- Rohit (27), Rajender (46) and Satbir -- all residents of west Delhi, were arrested for their role in dismantling stolen vehicles.
During the raid, the police recovered a stolen vehicle, four chassis plates, multiple body parts from dismantled vehicles and specialised tools used in the process.
Satbir, originally from Punjab's Amritsar, was the mastermind behind the gang and had previous involvement in similar cases across Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan. He was released from the Panipat Jail in 2022, officials said.
"The gang had a simple modus operandi. It identified target vehicles, parked those in isolated areas and then dismantled those over time. The parts were sold in the grey market, particularly in Mayapuri," the DCP said.
The police said further investigation is underway to track down other members of the gang, including the absconding handler, Jumma Khan.