By Sahil Makkar, IANS
New Delhi : For style, speed or perhaps to impress their girlfriends, Indian motor vehicle thieves seem to prefer bikes and scooters to cars. What’s more, they strike every sixth minute.
Latest statistics compiled by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) show 89,880 cases of motor vehicle theft in 2006. Of this, 69,447 cases were of two-wheeler thefts.
A senior Delhi Police official told IANS that stealing a motorbike or scooter was an easy job for vehicle thieves.
“Bikes have always fascinated those who step into the dark world of crime at a young or immature age. The underprivileged steal them because of the sheer need of money or to show off among other youths,” the official said.
“It has also been seen that the son of rich or upper class parents steal two-wheelers either for their passion for motorbikes or to impress their friends, specially girls.
“They merely zip around on a stolen vehicle for a few hours before dumping it in a secluded place,” the official said, adding that such rich kids start stealing for pleasure but then it becomes a habit.
What makes a motorbike an easy target for thieves is the lack of effective security systems. Just by unlocking the vehicle with a duplicate key, thieves can steal a two-wheeler.
Officials also point out that selling a stolen motorbike/scooter at the disposal goods market is simpler as compared to selling stolen cars or heavy vehicles. Hiding a two-wheeler is also easier.
The provisional figure for 2007 is 87,936 motor vehicle thefts. In 2005, a total of 84,150 motor vehicle thefts were reported and in 2004 the figure was 80,750.
The number of four-wheeler theft cases is just one-fourth of the two-wheeler thefts.
Statistics show that out of the 69,447 two-wheeler thefts in 2006, hi-tech thieves in Maharashtra dominated for the third consecutive year, accounting for over 10,000 cases. In 2005, the figure was 9,516 while in 2004, a total of 8,743 such cases were reported.
Madhya Pradesh reported 6,771 cases, Gujarat 6,409 cases, Uttar Pradesh 6,571 cases ande Rajasthan 5,716 cases.
While the Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded five such cases, Lakshadweep was at the bottom with merely two cases.
In 2006, police were tasked to trace 14,758 stolen cars, taxis and jeeps across the country. Delhi reported the highest number of cases at 4,066, Maharashtra was next with 2,232 cases and Uttar Pradesh reported 1,438 cases.
No car, jeep or taxi theft took place in Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.