In just four days since being constituted, a police Special Investigation Team (SIT) was able to recover 45 stolen motorbikes and arrest 17 suspects in a crackdown against such crimes in Garo Hills.
The SIT was formed in order to prevent and detect vehicle theft cases that regularly occur in Garo Hills. It was placed under the supervision of the West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police. Its remit was to investigate all “undetected” vehicle theft cases registered in the last five years.
In just four days, the SIT came through with a stunning series of successes. The 17 people arrested have been accused of committing theft, robbert, dacoity, forgery, cheating and for habitually dealing in stolen bikes, the police informed today.
Seventeen mobile phones and other incriminating materials were also seized from their possession. A study of these materials has revealed that vehicle theft gangs operate across almost all districts of Meghalaya and Assam. Bikes that are stolen in Assam are then re-sold in Meghalaya and vice versa through unscrupulous garage mechanics and second-hand dealers.
Through these recoveries, 10 undetected cases (six registered in Assam, four in Meghalaya) were solved. Eleven bikes were recovered from Rajabala, 12 from Jengjal, two from Tura, seven from Bongaigaon and 13 from Dadenggre. Of those arrested, 15 are from Meghalaya and two from Assam.
“A common feature detected during the investigation of these cases is that the local residents of the district are purchasing second-hand bikes as well as selling or exchanging their bikes without proper documentation and without obtaining the vehicle enquiry report from the police,” police said, adding that some sales are done through online portals like OLX and Facebook.
Registration certificates (RCs), engine numbers and chassis numbers of most of these vehicles were tampered with in order to avoid detection by law enforcement agencies.
Therefore, police advised that, before purchase or sale of vehicles, police clearance must be obtained in order to avoid unnecessary hassles at a later stage as the vehicle owner is liable for legal action if the concerned vehicle is found to be indulged in any criminal offence, road traffic accident, etc.
Vehicle enquiry reports may be obtained from the District Crime Records Bureau, Tura, which is located at Tura Police Station.
