Pune city continues to grapple with a surge in vehicle thefts, with more than 5,000 cases reported in the past three years. While the majority of the stolen vehicles are two-wheelers, many of these are sold in rural areas or in other states at significantly lower prices.
This trend has posed a serious challenge for the city’s police force, which has only been able to recover about 1,500 of these stolen vehicles so far.
Inadequate Parking Facilities
The rising number of private vehicles in Pune, coupled with poor public transportation, has worsened the problem.
Due to narrow roads and inadequate infrastructure, finding secure parking spots has become increasingly difficult, forcing vehicle owners to park their vehicles on the roadside or in unauthorized spaces. Thieves often exploit this lack of secure parking to their advantage.
The Pune Police have identified several hotspots for vehicle theft, including busy areas like malls and public parking lots. According to Additional Commissioner of Police Shailesh Balkawde, a list of known vehicle thieves has been compiled, and a dedicated anti-vehicle theft squad has been established to address the issue. The police are also conducting surveillance on suspected thieves and are working to curb the rise in vehicle thefts.
Vehicle Theft for Fun and Profit
While professional criminals steal vehicles to sell them in rural markets or use them for illegal activities, many cases involve minors stealing two-wheelers for joyrides.
These stolen vehicles are often abandoned once the fuel runs out. In response, the Pune Police have increased roadblocks and search operations in key areas to catch vehicle thieves.
Declining Detection Rates
In April 2023, Pune's Crime Branch seized 162 two-wheelers worth ₹55 lakh from a vehicle theft gang operating in the Pune and Dharashiv districts.
However, despite these efforts, the detection rate for vehicle theft cases remains low. Even though the overall number of vehicle thefts has slightly decreased compared to last year, the rate of solving these cases has not shown significant improvement.
2022:
Two-wheelers: 1,915 cases filed, 665 resolved
Three-wheelers: 0 cases filed, 0 resolved
Four-wheelers: 106 cases filed, 44 resolved
Total: 2,021 cases filed, 709 resolved
2023:
Two-wheelers: 1,910 cases filed, 503 resolved
Three-wheelers: 77 cases filed, 32 resolved
Four-wheelers: 53 cases filed, 40 resolved
Total: 2,040 cases filed, 575 resolved
2024 (Until September):
Two-wheelers: 1,191 cases filed, 235 resolved
Three-wheelers: 6 cases filed, 2 resolved
Four-wheelers: 43 cases filed, 22 resolved
Total: 1,240 cases filed, 259 resolved