Instead of fleeing with stolen vehicles or dismantling them, alleged autorickshaw thief Aman Shivshankar Pandey, 22,  adopted an unusual strategy — parking the stolen autos at different locations across Navi Mumbai until he found buyers. The plan worked for some time. But CCTV footage and technical surveillance led the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch to the accused, who was arrested near Koparkhairane railway station while  police were probing the theft of an auto from Seawoods Sector 42 on July 26.

A police officer told mid-day, “Pandey, who is relatively new to vehicle theft, allegedly targeted unattended autorickshaws parked in open spaces and parking lots. Using a master key, he would unlock and steal the vehicles before parking them at different locations across the city to avoid suspicion. Once a buyer was found, he allegedly planned to dispose of the vehicle.”