18 stolen auto-rickshaws worth Rs. 12.45 lakhs seized

Panvel City Police have successfully arrested a serial auto-rickshaw thief, identified as Nisar Sattar Khan (36), who was involved in multiple thefts across Panvel, Kalamboli, and Kamothe. The police have recovered 18 stolen rickshaws worth Rs.12.45 lakhs from Mehkar taluka in Buldhana district.

With a rise in rickshaw thefts in Panvel and surrounding areas, senior officers had instructed an intensified search for the culprits. The Crime Detection Team of Panvel City Police Station launched an investigation using CCTV footage and technical surveillance.

During patrolling, the team identified Nisar Sattar Khan, who matched the suspect seen in the footage and apprehended him.

Upon interrogation, Khan confessed to stealing 18 auto rickshaws over the past year from Panvel, Kalamboli, and Kamothe. He revealed that he had sold the stolen vehicles in Mehkar taluka, Buldhana. Acting on this information, the Panvel police, with assistance from local Buldhana police, conducted a raid and recovered all 18 rickshaws.

Investigations show that 10 rickshaws were stolen from Panvel City, four from Kalamboli, and three from Kamothe. One recovered rickshaw remains unidentified due to erased engine and chassis numbers.

The operation was led by Assistant Police Inspector Prakash Pawar, Deputy Inspector Vinod Labhde, and a team including constables Yashwant Zhanjam, Avinash Ganthade, and Nitin Waghmare, under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Nitin Thakre.