Three of auto-lifter gang arrested in Greater Noida, cops seize 20 stolen bikes

Police arrested three members of an auto-lifter gang in Greater Noida’s Surajpur and police recovered 20 stolen motorcycles from their possession on Thursday, said officials.

The suspects were identified as Mohit Kumar (22), a resident of Rabupura, and Honey Balmiki (20) and Vishesh Sharma (21) -- both residents of Surajpur.

Elamaran G, additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP), Noida Central, said that police received a tip about the movement of the three suspects on a motorcycle near the Nikko crossing in Surajpur around 10am on Thursday.

“A police team signalled the suspects to stop for checking as their motorcycle had a doctored registration number plate. When the suspects failed to produce papers of the vehicle, police checked them and recovered three countrymade guns from their possession,” he said.

The suspects revealed during interrogation that they were members of an auto-lifting gang, which has been operating in the National Capital Region (NCR) for the past one year. “They also told the police that they have 19 other stolen bikes at their hideouts in Surajpur, following which a search was conducted and all the motorcycles were recovered,” the ADCP added.

Elamaran G also said, “They used to conduct a recce of parked vehicles in the region and steal those... They forged the number plates of the stolen vehicles and sell them at cheap rates.”

Police have traced 10 owners of the 20 stolen vehicles recovered from the possession of the suspects. “Five bikes were stolen from Gautam Budh Nagar, two from Delhi, one from Haryana, and one from Uttar Pradesh’s Etah,” he added.

A case has been registered against the three suspects under relevant sections of the Arms Act at the Surajpur police station on Thursday. “The trio was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody,” the ADCP said.

Police have launched a search to nab other gang members, if any, and people who used to buy the stolen motorcycles.

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