Mumbai: GPS helps Kandivli cops trace young jeep thief to Gujarat

The jeep

The Kandivli police have caught a 20-year-old in Gujarat, who had allegedly fled after stealing a jeep, with the help of GPS. The arrested accused has been identified as Sunil Japuda alias Bishnoi, a resident of Rajasthan. Sou­r­ces said Bishnoi was arrested with the help of the Ankleshwar police on June 29 and brought back to Mumbai on a transit remand the same day. He has been produced in a court and sent to judicial custody.

Across state lines
Investigation revealed that the jeep belonged to one Manohar Porkar, who runs a travel business in the city, leasing out vehicles to private companies on a contract basis. The jeep, given to a Reliance firm on contract, was allegedly stolen from near the house of its driver, Vijaykumar Yadav, who lives in Lalji Pada, Kandivli.

"A few days ago, I reached home late and parked the vehicle near my house on New Link Road. The next morning, the jeep was nowhere to be seen. I informed Porkar, who asked me to approach cops," said Yadav.

Sunil Japuda alias Bishnoi

An officer said Yadav had told them about GPS being installed in the jeep. "We searched for the vehicle's location and found it stationed on a bridge in Ankleshwar. We called up the local police for assistance; they rushed to the spot and took the driver and the jeep in their custody," he added.

Investigation revelations
The police said the accused initially tried to mislead them by claiming to be a hired driver for the vehicle. Bishnoi's interrogation revealed that he is a native of a village in Rajasthan's Jalore district. He is suspected to be a member of a gang of car thieves.