Every second vehicle stolen was in Delhi

NEWDELHI: Every second vehicle stolen in the country in 2016 was stolen from the Capital.

Last year, there were 37,147 auto theft cases registered in Delhi. This was half the national figure of 74,293 cases being stolen, NCRB data shows.

Also vehicle theft comprised a major chunk of the overall theft cases registered in the country.

According to NCRB figures, during 2016, out of the total theft cases (1,94,558 cases), 74,293 cases (38.2%) were under auto theft cases with Delhi topping the chart. Bengaluru and Jaipur followed Delhi, where 5,843 and 5,271 cases were reported respectively.

Delhi also witnessed 4,418 more auto theft cases in 2016 compared to 2015 when 32,729 cases were registered in the city. In 2015, Delhi was even ahead of bigger states such as Uttar Pradesh (29,243) and Maharashtra (21,316) in reporting such thefts.

Cases in the recent and distant past have shown that while the reporting of such cases remain high, the recovery of stolen vehicles is low. For instance, in 2014, 22,000 vehicles were reported stolen to police, only 2,322 of these were recovered, Hindustan Times had reported.

Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma said more twowheelers are stolen than cars in Delhi. In the past few years, e-rickshaws were also stolen from the city. “Most of the vehicles stolen from Delhi are sold in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar or even the Northeastern states,” Verma said.