Navi Mumbai: Within 20 days of coming out of jail post his conviction in two vehicle theft cases, a 21 year old man from CBD Belapur again starts with spree of vehicle thefts. The accused identified as Ashraf Alam Shaikh, get arrested along with his accomplice Ramzan Abdulmatin Shaikh alias Papa after the police scrutanised a total of 50 footages of CCTV.

According to police, the accused were wanted in 17 vehicle theft cases of which 12 vehicles have been recovered. The main accused Ashraf, was convicted for a total of five months in a case of vehicle theft reported with Sion and Govandi police. “He was released on December 16 after which he continued with his vehicle theft spree,” Deputy commissioner of police (Zone I) Pankaj Dahane said.

“The investigations started with a case that was reported on January 5 this year at Income Tax colony. While investigating the case, the team identified the history sheeter and accordingly procured his details and nabbed him along with his accomplice,” senior police inspector Sandesh Revle said.

A tea comprising of Police Inspector Arun Pawar along with Assistant Police Inspector Suresh Dambare and Sub-Inspector Vishnu Wagh, analyzed footage from 50 CCTV cameras in the vicinity. The investigation revealed the involvement of the accused who were from Tatanagar slum in CBD Belapur.

Further interrogation uncovered their involvement in several auto-rickshaw thefts across CBD, Kharghar, Kalamboli, Ulwe, Vashi, Panvel, and parts of Mumbai, including Nehru Nagar, Pant Nagar, Bandra, and Khar. Acting on their information, the police recovered 12 stolen auto-rickshaws from various locations where they had been kept hidden.

“The accused used to steal the auto rickshaws and then further sell it. The autos are then used by the buyer on road after changing the registration number of the auto rickshaw,” Dambare said.