The Navi Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch has successfully busted two organised vehicle theft rackets operating across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, arresting five suspects and recovering 43 stolen vehicles worth over ₹46 lakh, officials confirmed.
In the first case, police arrested Nasir Sadiq Khan (58) from the Kharghar area — a habitual offender with over 92 previous vehicle theft cases on record. Investigators discovered that Khan exploited his experience working in garages to steal motorcycles, erase engine and chassis numbers, and sell the bikes after destroying identifying marks. So far, 17 stolen motorcycles valued at about ₹5.82 lakh have been recovered, and 14 theft cases registered at Kharghar and APMC police stations have been linked to his activities.
In a second major operation, a four-member gang was arrested from Dombivli and Kalyan for stealing motorcycles and autorickshaws across Navi Mumbai, Thane, Mumbai and Raigad districts. Police say the accused monitored vehicle theft videos on social media and used fake number plates to disguise stolen vehicles before selling them while posing as legitimate owners.
Acting on CCTV footage and technical inputs, officers apprehended the suspects on 28 January 2026 and subsequently recovered 26 stolen vehicles — including 21 motorcycles and five autorickshaws — worth nearly ₹40.46 lakh. This has resulted in the detection of 23 additional theft cases logged across several police stations in the region.
Prerna Kate, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), CBD-Belapur, said efforts are continuing to trace the rightful owners of three unclaimed vehicles and to identify possible links with other organised vehicle theft syndicates operating in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
