Bhubaneswar, Aug 24: Chandaka police on Sunday arrested a 19-year-old youth for allegedly stealing a car by using a rented vehicle to tow it away, police said.

The accused has been identified as Mandeep Choudhury, a resident of Turang area in Angul district. Police said Choudhury had been released from jail only last month after being arrested in connection with another vehicle theft case.

According to police, a case was registered on August 12 after car owner Sudarsan Nayak reported that his vehicle had been stolen while it was parked outside his father-in-law’s house at Andharua the previous night. The stolen car was found abandoned a few hours later on a deserted stretch, around three kilometres from the original location.

During the investigation, police examined CCTV footage and found that a blue car had allegedly been used to tow away the stolen vehicle. Its registration number had been covered with black tape, apparently to avoid identification.

ACP (Zone VI) Manas Ranjan Pradhan said police suspected the accused might have taken the vehicle to a washing centre due to the rain that night. After checking several centres, investigators traced the blue car to its owner, who revealed that it had been rented out through a service in Khandagiri.

Police subsequently traced the vehicle to Choudhury and arrested him. Investigators said the accused abandoned the stolen car after it developed mechanical problems.

Police further claimed that Choudhury had earlier been involved in four similar vehicle theft cases in Bhubaneswar.

Powered by Froala Editor