Vehicle-lifters’ gang busted, 4 arrested

Ludhiana: The police busted a gang of vehicle-lifters who used to steal pick-up vans and trucks and sell their parts as scrap after dismantling these. The police have also recovered five pick-up vans, four trucks, one scooter, one bike and 17 engines of different vehicles.
Those arrested were identified as Manoj Kumar Gupta of Shimlapuri, Baljeet Kaur and Randhir Singh of Sangowal village and Gurdeep Singh of Shaheed Karnail Nagar. Their accomplices Mohit of Gill Road, Rajinder Singh and Tajinder Singh of Lohara Road are yet to be arrested.
Police commissioner Kaustubh Sharma said the Focal Point police arrested the accused following a tip-off. The absconding accused Rajinder Singh is the kingpin of the gang. He had opened a workshop near Gill village on Malerkotla road and hired Manoj Kumar Gupta to dismantle pick-up vans and trucks. The police conducted a raid at the workshop and seized pick-up vans, trucks and its scrap.
Inspector Kulwant Singh, SHO, Focal Point police station, said, “Earlier the accused used to steal motorcycles and scooters. They would dismantle the same and would sell its as scrap. As the accused did not make good money, they started stealing heavy vehicles.”
On asking about the role of Baljeet Kaur, the inspector said she was the live-in partner of the main accused Rajinder Singh. In the absence of Rajinder, Baljeet used to handle the workshop.