AVLC cop, three accomplices held for running network of vehicle thieves

The Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell (AVLC) of the Crime Investigation Agency of the Karachi police on Thursday claimed to have arrested its own cop along with his gang members for allegedly running a network of vehicle thieves in the city.

Sub-Inspector Nasir Abbas Shah (now a head constable) was arrested along with three of his companions, identified as Nasir Khan, Zahid Khan and Sohail Ali. Eight stolen cars and three motorcycles were also recovered from their possession.

“Action against black sheep within the department is continuing,” says AVLC chief Bashir Ahmed Brohi. “Nasir Shah was posted at the AVLC Gulshan-e-Iqbal Division and is a close relative of former Gulshan-e-Iqbal DIO Abid Shah.”

The officer said Abid Shah and his entire team had also been suspended and an inquiry initiated against them.

Nasir Abbas Shah along with his companion, Sohail Ali, who used to pose as an ASI while carrying a fake police service card, was alleged to have been involved in various cases of car theft, and the two mostly stole cars with the help of cranes, lifters and trucks and then kept them at a compound of their companion, Zahid Khan.

AVLC chief Brohi said Zahid Khan was the owner of the compound and a son of a traffic police officer. He added that the suspects sold the stolen vehicles through WhatsApp while making their fake documents.

He said raids were under way to arrest the suspects on the run, and efforts were being to recover more stolen vehicles. The cars recovered from their possessions are a Toyota Corolla, a Suzuki Mehran, a Honda Civic, a Coure, a Honda City and a Suzuki Hi-roof van.

They had been taken away from different police remits, including Sharea Faisal, Aziz Bhatti, Al-Falah, Shah Faisal Colony, Nazimabad and Defence. Cases have been registered and the investigations are continuing.