Mumbai: Ex-khabri stole cars under cops' noses even as he helped them

The khabri Guddu would either break the window or use a ruler to open the door and start the car. He was also tasked with carrying out recce in the city to find cars to steal

As a police informer, Ayub Shaikh alias Guddu, 36, would stay close to the cops, but only so he could keep their gaze far from his own car thefts. Ironically, it was another khabri who blew the lid off his racket, resulting in his arrest on August 3.

This is the second time Guddu, 36, has been arrested because of an informer's tip-off. During interrogation, Guddu revealed that he used to be an informer the anti-Motor vehicle (MV) theft unit from 2010 till 2013, when the cops realised he was stealing vehicles right under their nose, even as he helped them catch his rivals. Officers who questioned him said he began as an electrician and slowly got in touch with vehicle theft gangs. He worked for several gangs over the years. "He is an expert in breaking into cars," said Inspector Dheeraj Koli.

Guddu would either break the window or use a ruler to open the door and start the car. He was also tasked with carrying out recce in the city to find cars to steal. Through his connection with the police, Guddu knew that the cops could only track phone calls and texts, but not WhatsApp or Viber communications, so he relied on those methods.

He was arrested by a team led by Senior Inspector Sunil Bajare from the Property Cell (Kurla), along with officers Dheeraj Koli, Laxmikant Salunke, Amit Bhosale and N Pawar. Cops found links to him in 13 cases of automobile theft across Kurla, Matunga, Vile Parle, Deonar and Dadar. The police suspect he was involved in many more cases.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Informer runs multi-crore drug business under cops' nose

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