Already under pressure managing the curfew due to Covid-19 in the city, Chandigarh Police were virtually taken for a ride by a 26-year-old woman who reported the theft of a Mercedes Benz (GLS), a sports utility vehicle (SUV), but later confessed she had lied and that the vehicle had been impounded.
Emergency response officers (EO) posted at the Sector 3 police station were surprised when they received a call from the police control room (PCR) about an elderly man alerting them to the theft his SUV, estimated to cost more than Rs 80 lakh, from Sector 2. Wondering how carjackers could be active during heavy police deployment because of the curfew, the police team reached the complainant’s home to find him sharing details of the vehicle with the PCR officials. “We proceeded to check the cameras and also questioned the helpers in the man’s house but could not join the dots, as they no clue about it,” said a police official requesting anonymity.
However, as the police were questioning people living in the house, a young woman came forward and confessed that she had lied about the theft fearing the wrath of her family.
“The girl took the vehicle for a ride up to Sector 11, when it was stopped at a checkpoint by the police patrolling staff near the sector 23/24 light point. Since she did not possess a curfew pass the vehicle was impounded and out of fear she cooked up a story,” the official added.
Investigators tracing the vehicle found it had been taken to the traffic lines. A challan was issued in the name of the woman. The vehicle owner is a businessman related to a highly placed political family in Punjab.
Jaspal Singh, station house officer (SHO) Sector 3, said, “We have not taken any action against the girl and after recording the statements the matter was closed. Initially, the message was of theft but later things became clear.”
