IMPHAL, September 4: Singjamei Police OC L Santosh Singh today paraded nine vehicle lifters at the police station alongwith six vehicles including two four-wheelers.
The nine have been arrested during the past one week by the Singjamei Police from different places. According to the police, they have disclosed that they have lifted more than 24 vehicles since they started lifting vehicles. They had also revealed that they were helped by mechanics workings in auto workshops.
The police identified the nine vehicle lifters as Md Wahidur Rahman, 36 son of Md Haji of Lilong Yangbi, Heikrujam Kishan alias Babananda, 22 son of (L) Dineshwor of Thongju part II, Phaiza Leitong, Taiyenjam Vikash, 20 son of Bedajit of Kakwa Naorem Leikai, Laishram Devid, 20 son of Babu of Kakwa Naorem Leikai, Pangabam Dinesh, 22 son of (L) Jadumani of Kongba Ucheckon Khunou, Irom Ormojeet, 19 son of Inaocha of Singjamei Chanam Pukhri Mapal, Nameirakpam Robert alias Ithoi, 19 son of Rebetibabu of Kakwa Nameirakpam Leikai, Leimapokpam Abung alias Chittaranjan, 21, son of (L) Tomei of Kyamgei Maning Leikai and Wangkheimayum Langamba alias Bicky, 27 son of Tomchau of Chanchipur MU gate.
Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, OC Santosh said his team started arresting the vehicle lifters since some four five days back.
Following the disclosures from the arrested vehicle lifters, his team was able to arrest more vehicle lifters and recover the vehicles from different places of Imphal. However his team is yet to get to the kingpin of the gang.
The arrested individuals have also disclosed that they had started lifting vehicles from around February this year, the police officer said.
They choose their targets from the crowded areas, like the Yaoshang Thabal chongba and other religious functions like the lai-haraoba, he continued.
Their main places of operation are Wangoi, Shamurou, Lagthabal, Patsoi, Singjamei and Yumnam Leikai and Keishamthong areas.
The recovered vehicles include one Alto car, one Maruti 800, one Yamaha R15, two Yamaha FZ and one Honda Activa.
The OC also expressed that most of the arrested vehicle lifters are drug addicts.
He further appealed to the people of the state to used double locking system while parking their vehicles in a crowded area.
In the meantime, shopkeepers this noon arrested two individuals while trying to lift mobile phones from a mobile shop at Paona Bazar.
The shop LSS Mobile Gallery is located just opposite to the Usha Cinema hall.
The two shop lifters who were later handed over to the City Police are identified as Imran Khan, 21, son of Sirajuddin of Lilong Athoukhong Mamang Leikai and Sajid Kamaluddin, 26 son of Md Jamaluddin of Athoukhong Laiphrakpam Leikai.
The two were trying to lift a Samsung S3 copy mobile.
Meanwhile, the shopkeeper told media persons said that Sajid comes to his shop regularly since sometime back and he was suspicious that he had been lifting mobiles from his shop, however he had failed to caught him red handed.
Today when he came into his shop he feign ignorance and kept an eye on him and arrested him red-handed, he said.