National capital witnesses dip in car theft cases this year

The national capital witnessed a decline in car theft cases till July 15 this year as compared to the same period last year, a data from Delhi Police stated.

As per the data, 2,468 cases related to vehicle theft were reported from January 1 to July 15 this year, while the number during the corresponding period last year stood at 2,732, indicating a drop of 264 cases.

The thefts occurred in both residential neighbourhoods and public spaces, including areas near petrol stations, schools, markets and parks.

Several incidents were reported from Sectors 3, 7 and 24 in Rohini as well as from Paschim Vihar and Ashok Vihar in North West Delhi. Defence Colony and Greater Kailash in South Delhi also experienced multiple thefts, along with Preet Vihar, Malviya Nagar and Janakpuri, the data added.

A senior police officer said: “Surveillance was being strengthened in theft-prone areas. We are monitoring hotspots and working on improving recovery rates”.

He said thieves often study the parking habits of vehicle owners. In some cases, cars are left unattended for several hours near Metro pillars or ATMs. In one incident, a bank employee left his vehicle at 9 am and returned around 6 pm, only to find it missing. Thieves exploit such patterns. SUVs are usually targeted due to their higher resale value, the officer said.

Delhi