Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, August 7, 2025 – Gajraula police have cracked a clever vehicle theft racket operating through Facebook Marketplace, arresting five members of an inter-district gang. The group, based in Hathras, used fake identities to sell vehicles online, only to steal them back using duplicate keys. The breakthrough, led by SP Amit Anand, has uncovered a sophisticated operation that preyed on unsuspecting buyers.
The gang’s method was cunning. They listed vehicles on Facebook Marketplace, luring buyers with attractive deals. After selling a vehicle, they would track the buyer and steal it back using a second key they retained. One such theft occurred on August 1, 2025, when a Swift car was stolen in Gajraula shortly after being sold. The police, acting on a tip-off, raided a hideout near Bachhraon Road, recovering the stolen Swift, along with fake documents, a duplicate key, and mobile phones used to create fraudulent listings.
All the suspects, identified as Shubham Pratap, Ajeet, Vivek, Rajeev, and Kalicharan, are from Mathura and Hathras. “These criminals exploited the trust of online buyers,” said SP Amit Anand during a press briefing. “They used fake IDs to list vehicles, sold them, and then stole them back to resell elsewhere.” The police are now investigating the gang’s connections in other districts, suspecting a wider network.
