A 22-year-old Noida driver allegedly stole a Hyundai Exter from a Sector 18 parking lot to make his upset wife happy. Police said Arun drove the car to Etah and told her he had bought it. After learning that the vehicle had been reported stolen, he fled to his sister’s home in Kannauj and switched off his phone.
A 22-year-old man in Noida allegedly stole a car to impress his upset wife and then travelled to Etah to tell her that he had bought the vehicle, police said. The unusual plan came to light after a Hyundai Exter was reported stolen from a parking area in Sector 18, Noida. Police used local intelligence and electronic surveillance to trace the accused and recover the car. The accused, identified as Arun, son of Akhilesh, was arrested on September 13 near a vacant plot on the road from Attapeer towards DLF Mall, police said.
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Why did Arun steal the car?
According to police, Arun had been having a dispute with his wife and wanted to make her happy. During questioning, he allegedly told investigators that he wanted to take a car to his wife in Etah to win her over, reported Prabhat Khabar.
Instead of buying one, police said, Arun allegedly stole a Hyundai Exter from a parking area in Sector 18. He then drove the stolen car to Etah, where his wife was staying.
Arun allegedly told her that he had bought the car and presented it to her as a new purchase. The plan, however, did not last long.
Stolen car complaint changed everything
Police said Arun later learnt that a complaint had been filed about the stolen Hyundai Exter. After finding out that the police were looking for the vehicle, he allegedly left Etah and went to his sister’s house in Kannauj.
He also switched off his mobile phone, apparently in an attempt to avoid being traced. Meanwhile, Sector-20 police began working to locate him.
Electronic surveillance helps Noida Police
The police used local intelligence and electronic surveillance during the investigation. The investigation eventually provided clues about Arun’s movements and whereabouts.
Police then traced him to the area near a vacant plot on the road leading from Attapeer towards DLF Mall. He was arrested there on September 13. The stolen Hyundai Exter was also recovered from his possession, police said.
Fake number plate found on stolen Hyundai Exter
Police said the recovered Hyundai Exter was being driven with a fake registration number plate. Its original number plate had allegedly been removed and kept inside the boot of the car.
According to police, the actual registration number of the vehicle was UP14GB1456.
The fake number plate fitted on the car was UP16C0007TC/02.
The use of the fake number plate also helped investigators establish that the vehicle had been deliberately concealed after the alleged theft.
Who is the accused?
Police identified the accused as 22-year-old Arun, son of Akhilesh. He is originally from Sonasa village in the Bagwala police station area of Etah district.
At the time of the incident, he was living in a rented house in Chhijarsi, Sector 63, Noida. Arun worked as a driver in Noida, according to police.
His familiarity with driving may have helped him take the stolen vehicle from Noida to Etah, where he allegedly tried to pass it off as a car he had purchased.
From angry wife to police custody
The sequence began as a personal matter, according to the police account. Arun and his wife were reportedly having a dispute. He allegedly wanted to do something that would make her happy and decided to take a car to her. Police said he stole the Hyundai Exter from the Sector 18 parking area and drove it to Etah.
After telling his wife that he had bought the vehicle, he later learnt that the theft had been reported. His response, according to investigators, was to leave Etah for Kannauj and switch off his phone.
However, the move did not prevent police from tracking him.
After his arrest, police recovered the Hyundai Exter and found the original number plate inside the boot, while a fake number plate was fitted to the vehicle.
The accused was subsequently produced before a court. He was sent to jail following the court proceedings, police said.