In an ideal world, authorities install CCTV cameras to keep anti-social elements in check. But a car thief from Maharashtra’s Buldhana district, in a reverse of sorts, used the same technique to keep a watch on cops. The accused identified as Sayyad Shakil Sayyad Yusuf installed as many as 25 CCTV cameras around his house and had made five exit points in his house in case police arrives at his residence.
According to police, Sayyad was a master in changing garbs which also earned him the pseudonym of Don. He was wanted by police teams from Navi Mumbai, Pune, Buldhana, Beed, Aurangabad and Jalna districts.
“A policeman from Navi Mumbai tried to nab him, but failed. Sayyad called this policeman over phone, saying, ‘Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin, namumkin hai,’ “Senior police inspector Nitin Bhosale Patil told Indian Express.
The suspect along with his accomplice Ejaz Jalaluddin Kazi (49) was arrested by Crime branch of Pune Police on a tip-off to constable Gajanan Sonune from Juna Bazaar last week.
He worked as an RTO agent in Buldhana for three years, which helped him learn the tricks of the vehicle trade. He went on to become a high-profile vehicle thief and targeted Innovas, the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), as it had a good demand in the used vehicles market and private tourist business.
Sayyad’s modus operandi was to hire SUVs to go to places like Jalgaon and Jalna by submitting fake residential address. After boarding the vehicle, he would ask the driver to move out of the vehicle on the pretext of buying water bottle or food but would ask him to keep the air conditioner on. After the driver stepped out , he would take control of the steering and flee from the spot.
Police said so far the accused had admitted to his involvement in 12 vehicle thefts cases, including a case in which an Innova was stolen from Chinchwad area and sold in Hyderabad.
