Kalpetta: A gang involved in stealing vehicles from Wayanad and transporting it to Tamil Nadu for dismantling and sale have been arrested. The arrests come in the wake of a series of vehicle thefts in the district, particularly targeting pickup trucks.

The arrested were identified as B Sujesh Kumar (44), an ex-serviceman from Alappuzha, and Abdul Salam (37) from Feroke, Kozhikode. The arrests were made by a special investigation team led by District Police Chief T. Narayanan. Abdul Salam has a criminal record with approximately 30 cases registered against him across various police stations in the state, while Sujesh Kumar faced around 10 cases.

The police were able to crack the case after a thorough investigation that included analyzing CCTV footage from Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Palakkad districts, as well as from Pollachi, Coimbatore, and Mettupalayam in Tamil Nadu. The detailed examination of the footage, combined with scientific investigation methods, led to the identification and subsequent arrest of the accused.

The investigation began after a pickup truck was stolen on March 3 from Kambalakkad Ambalachal. Despite the initial probe by the Kambalakkad police, another pickup was reported stolen between July 13 and 14 from near the Kunnampetta ground under the jurisdiction of the Meppadi police station. The thefts continued, with another vehicle stolen between July 19 and 20 within the Thondernad police station area, and another from the shed of NM Cement Products at Korome.

Thieves struck only after careful area inspection

Police have revealed that the thieves used a methodical approach, scouting areas on a bike before stealing vehicles. Abdul Salam and Sujesh Kumar, the accused, rented a room in Mananthavady on July 18, just before they stole a vehicle from Korome.

A stolen pickup vehicle, taken from near Meppadi Kunnampetta ground, was recovered in Palakkad on August 16. Additionally, the bike used by the accused, which was stolen from the Kozhikode Medical College premises, was also recovered.

Efforts are ongoing to trace another vehicle stolen from Kambalakkad.

The investigation team included Meppadi Inspector SHO KS Ajesh, SI Harish Kumar, ASI Naushad, Senior CPOs PM Tahir, Jimmy George, M Biju, and CPO Shinto Joseph.

How the thieves were apprehended

A special investigation team was formed under the leadership of Mananthavady SMS DySP MM Abdul Karim, following the conclusion that the same gang might be responsible for a series of vehicle thefts. Once it became evident that the stolen vehicles were being smuggled to Tamil Nadu, Thondernad SI K Moithu and SCPO Rabiyath were dispatched to Tamil Nadu.

On July 26, during an investigation focusing on gangs involved in dismantling and selling stolen vehicles, a pickup was found in Mettupalayam Kuruvanoor.

This breakthrough led to the arrest of Sujesh Kumar from Ernakulam on July 29 and Abdul Salam from Palakkad on July 31. Sujesh Kumar was apprehended by the special squad of the district police chief, while Abdul Salam was captured by a team comprising Thondernad SI C Pavanan and CPO Sreejesh.