Delhi Police have arrested two notorious car thieves in Shahdara, uncovering a racket that spanned across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The accused Shafiq (54) and Zahir Ahmed alias Gulla (42), both residents of Behjoi in UP’s Sambhal district were intercepted near Maharaja Surajmal Marg on July 18 while travelling in a stolen car linked to a theft case registered in Jyoti Nagar two days earlier, police said.

The arrests led to the recovery of another stolen car from Mansarovar Park, reported missing since April, along with tools of the trade including three electronic control modules (ECM) devices, lock sets, old keys, and fake number plates.

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Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Parshant Gautam said the duo were habitual offenders. Their modus operandi involved stealing cars, replacing number plates, using the vehicles for further thefts, and then disposing of them in UP and MP.

During questioning, Shafiq allegedly confessed to stealing cars for years to fund survival and substance abuse, admitting involvement in more than eight previous cases. Zahir, who worked as a whitewasher, told police he was drawn into the racket by villagers, often serving as a driver and lookout.

Police are also pursuing another associate, Shahrukh, believed to be hiding in Ghaziabad. He allegedly handled the sale of stolen vehicles in Aligarh, Bhojpur, and Indore. Authorities said efforts are ongoing to track down more stolen vehicles and dismantle the wider receiver network.

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