Mumbai Crime: How a man went from MBA graduate to master in auto theft

You don't have to go to business school to know that it's cheaper to steal a car than buy one. Perhaps that's why Satendra Shekhawat (35) went from MBA graduate to Master in auto theft.

The Jaipur native was brought up in an Army family but had no interest in using his education and hard work to build his tours and travel business. Instead, he preferred to steal the vehicles that he would provide to clients.

Caught on camera
Shekhawat is finally paying for his crimes. He was arrested by the Kalachowkie police after he was caught on CCTV camera as he stole an SUV from a car showroom in Lower Parel.

He started his business in 2009. To earn more profit, he would use stolen cars in his business and would also sell them to a friend he had met in Jaipur jail earlier.

He has at least 16 cases of car theft against him in Mumbai and Pune. PSI Somnath Deshmane of Kalachowkie police station said, "With his arrest many cases of car theft have been solved. He is in judicial custody at present."

Modus operandi
He would visit the city and book rooms at five or seven-star hotels to create the image of a well-to-do businessman. He would go to the valet parking stations, where the hotel kept car keys. He would pick a key and flee with a car of his choice.

Sr PI Dilip Ugale said, "There were several cases of car theft in the city. While investigating one such case, we got CCTV footage of him stealing an expensive SUV. His movements were being monitored and he was arrested on his arrival in the city on November 18."