MBA student arrested for allegedly stealing stepney tyres from parked cars across Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Gudimalkapur police have arrested a 23-year-old MBA student for allegedly stealing spare wheels (stepney tyres), along with rims, from cars parked in different parts of Hyderabad and recovered 15 stolen wheels.

The accused, Soban Ali Khan, a resident of Owaisi Pura, Masab Tank, who is pursuing an MBA, was apprehended at Navodaya Colony in Gudimalkapur on October 31 while allegedly moving around with the intention of committing another theft.

According to the police, the suspect came under the radar during an investigation into the theft of a spare wheel and rim from a Mahindra Thar parked at Galaxy Enclave Apartments in Rethibowli on October 20.

During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to committing several similar thefts, particularly targeting Mahindra Thar vehicles. “His modus operandi was to identify parked vehicles and approach nearby puncture repair shops on the pretext of having a puncture. He would pay a refundable security deposit of Rs 200 to Rs 300 to obtain tools, remove the spare wheel along with its rim from the targeted vehicle and flee. He would later return the tools and collect the deposit,” the police said.

The suspect reportedly admitted to his involvement in 11 theft cases registered at Film Nagar, Langer House, Gudimalkapur, Saifabad, Chandrayangutta, Chaderghat, Chatrinaka, Meerpet and Narayanguda police stations, besides two cases in Attapur.

Based on his confession, the police recovered 15 spare wheels along with rims, including 12 belonging to Mahindra Thar vehicles, two from Ford Endeavour cars and one from a Ford EcoSport.

The accused was arrested on October 31 and produced before a court in Nampally for judicial remand.