In a major breakthrough, Delhi Police arrested three members of a high-tech car theft gang that used an advanced key programming machine to steal high-end vehicles across the region. The gang, linked to the Mehtab-Sameem Pilla network, was tracked and caught by the Outer North District’s special staff.
According to DCP Nidhin Valsan, police had been monitoring the gang for over a month. On the night of January 29, they received a tip-off that Mehtab and his associate Faizal were planning a vehicle theft in Narela Industrial Area. A trap was laid, and both were caught around 3 AM. The third accused, Shahjaan, was later arrested in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, following targeted raids.
Interrogation revealed that Mehtab, the gang’s kingpin, has over 35 previous cases related to auto theft and narcotics in Delhi and UP. The gang specialized in stealing luxury cars by using diagnostic key programmers—devices that allow thieves to reprogram a new key and start the car without triggering alarms.
The gang operated on a request basis, targeting specific car models. Once a vehicle was stolen, it was delivered to receivers in Meerut, where the cars were either dismantled for parts or resold after modification.
Police recovered:
Four stolen vehicles
Fake number plates
Key programming tools
Two country-made pistols and live cartridges
The accused have been booked under multiple sections of the Arms Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to organized vehicle theft and illegal possession of arms.
The investigation continues as police work to trace more stolen vehicles and identify others involved in the network.