Number plate raises cop’s suspicion, helps solve car theft case

In a surprising turn of events, the police solved an over two-year-old car theft case during a routine checking on the Chief Minister’s route in Sri Muktsar Sahib district. The breakthrough came on November 13 when DSP Pritpal Singh from the 75th Battalion, PAP, Jalandhar, noticed a suspiciously parked white Brezza car near the Kotbhai police station.

What caught DSP Singh’s attention was the car’s number plate, which lacked the mandatory serial number, raising doubts about its authenticity. Acting on the suspicion, he ran a check on the car’s registration details and contacted the registered owner, a lawyer from Ludhiana. The lawyer informed him that the original Registration Certificate (RC) had been stolen some time ago, and he had since obtained a new one. The vehicle was then immediately moved to the Kotbhai police station for further investigation.

Under the instructions of Avtar Singh, DSP, Gidderbaha, and SHO Inspector Jasveer Singh, a detailed examination of the car’s chassis and engine number was conducted by the police. The investigation revealed that the car had been reportedly stolen in March 2022 from Hoshiarpur. A theft case under Section 379 of the IPC had been registered at that time at the Model Town police station, Hoshiarpur.

The rightful owner, who had reported the theft over two years ago, was contacted and informed about the recovery of his car. Overwhelmed with joy, the owner and his family expressed their gratitude to the police. The car was formally handed over to the owner today after the completion of legal formalities and securing court orders.

In addition, a fresh FIR has been registered against an unknown person under Section 317(2) and 341(2) of BNS for using a fake number plate on the stolen car. Investigating officer ASI Gurmeet Singh said, “We are actively investigating who parked the car near the Kotbhai police station. We are confident that the culprit will be apprehended soon.”