More than 3,500 vehicles stolen in 2021 as cases of car theft soar in Gurugram

gurugram: Having witnessed a sharp decline in 2020, vehicle thefts once again picked up in 2021 with more than 3,500 vehicles being stolen.

According to the Gurugram Police, in 2021, 3,517 vehicles were stolen as compared to 2,715 vehicles were stolen in 2020. The trend of increasing vehicle thefts took place even during the Covid-induced lockdown.

In 2019, 4,191 vehicles were stolen from Gurugram. In 2017, 3,800 cases of vehicle thefts were registered which then increased to 4,100 cases in 2018. One of the major reasons for such a low rate of recovery is that these crimes are committed by gangs from Mewat and other states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

According to police officials, not only trained criminals but even juveniles and unemployed youth are now getting involved in this crime because of the huge margins involved.Nearly 25 gangs involved in incidents of vehicle thefts were busted by the Gurugram Police. Despite a multiple arrests, vehicle thieves continued to find ways to steal.

Off-late the robbers are taking a smart route, and rather than targeting the vehicles, they are successfully taking out their ancillaries of the vehicles, a trend that continued even in 2021.

"As compared to 2020, there was an increase in incidents of vehicle thefts. However, as compared to previous years, the number of incidents remained low. We will be taking several measures this year to ensure that crimes related to vehicle thefts and ancillaries at kept at bay in the city," a senior official from Gurugram Police said.

The Gurugram Police is now planning to work with several resident bodies, so that there is better coordination for security matters that can prove to be beneficial in reducing such crimes.

Along with better functioning of CCTV cameras, there are also plans to improve street lighting and patrolling in several areas where incidents normally occur.