Jaipur. In a significant crackdown on fuel theft, the Jaipur West police have apprehended two individuals accused of orchestrating a series of daring escapes from petrol pumps across the city. Under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West Prashant Kiran, a joint operation involving the District Special Team (DST) and Bindayka police led to the arrest of the suspects, who confessed to over 20 separate incidents of stealing fuel.
The investigation was triggered by complaints filed on October 28 by Rahul Sharma and Bajrang Lal Jat at the Bindayka police station. The victims reported that on October 23, individuals in a Swift car filled their tank with fuel worth 4,403 rupees and fled without payment. A similar incident occurred on October 28 at a filling station on Sirsi Road, where a WagonR was used to steal fuel worth 4,070 rupees. In both instances, the perpetrators utilized a fake registration plate, RJ14CK5455, to deceive staff and evade identification.
Recognizing the pattern, DCP Prashant Kiran formed a specialized team to track the culprits. The investigation involved a meticulous review of CCTV footage from hotels, bus stands, railway stations, and toll plazas across Jaipur and Sikar districts. By leveraging technical surveillance and informant networks, the police identified the suspects' location in the Alakhpura Gocharan area of Sikar's Laxmangarh region. Despite an attempt to flee, both men were successfully taken into custody.
During interrogation, the suspects revealed a calculated modus operandi. They would steal number plates from vehicles parked outside homes at night, attach them to their own cars, and then target various petrol pumps. They admitted to committing these thefts across multiple areas, including Mansarovar, Sodala, Sikar Road, Vaishali Nagar, and Harmada, primarily to fund their leisure activities.
The arrested individuals have been identified as 19-year-old Ankit Verma, a resident of Kardhani, and 28-year-old Vishal Mehra from the Railway Colony area. The police team, led by Station House Officer Anil Jaimini and DST in-charge Ganesh Saini, is currently conducting further investigations to determine if others were involved in the racket. The suspects remain in custody as authorities continue to probe the extent of their criminal activities.