14 July,2009 09:11 AM IST | | Vinod Kumar Menon
Jai Shah (19) zipped along the roads of Mumbai in a Honda City with friends. The teen, who always craved a lavish lifestyle, was happy that he could flaunt the silver car and impress his friends.
Unfortunately the joyrides ended when the police caught him on July 10 driving a stolen car.
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When confronted, Jai admitted that he had stolen the car from Matunga on June 11. "Jai broke down and said his friends would tease him for not travelling in a car," said a police officer.
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The police later found that his father did not allow him to drive the family car, which frustrated the teen.
Jai said he spotted the Honda City parked behind the MTNL office in Matunga while he was returning home. He got a duplicate key made for Rs 300 by lying that he had lost the original set.
Jai then drove to Hill Road in Bandra and got the bonnet and chassis painted black.
He also got a duplicate number plate made from Sion to evade suspicion. Jai said would park the car in narrow bylanes some kilometres from his house in Bandra.
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"Ashok Lalwani (56), a resident of Worli, lodged a complaint after he found the car missing from the spot," said sub inspector Ram Divekar. The car is owned by his relative.
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Senior Inspector Sunil Deshmukh said, "Initially, we suspected the involvement of a professional gang. But when our informers tipped us about a boy driving the car, we laid a trap to catch him."
