Three members of the gang arrested for trying to cheat senior manager of Rs 14,000; one accused still absconding. Gang fooled people into paying money for 'repairs' by telling them sparks were flying off their car
Illustration/Uday Mohite
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What would you do if you saw sparks coming out of your car's engine? Sensing imminent danger to the vehicle, you'd probably get it fixed immediately. A notorious trio that goes by the name 'Spark Gang' has been tapping on this fear of vehicle owners to make a quick buck.
The Kurla police yesterday arrested three people from the gang for duping several motorists. The incident came to light when complainant Prajwal Rajan, a senior manager with a BKC-based firm, was almost duped in a similar fashion. A member of the 'Spark gang' knocked on Rajan's window, claiming he could see smoke emanating from the car. Rajan and his wife avoided him and drove a few metres away, when another person stopped them.
Assuming that something was really wrong with his car, he agreed to the person's offer to check his vehicle. After investigating the vehicle, he then suggested a nearby showroom, where it could be repaired. Meanwhile, two men emerged out of nowhere, claiming they were mechanics and said they could fix the car.
After opening the bonnet, they told him that his car would immediately need some parts, or it would catch fire. The so-called mechanics then arranged for the part on their own and fiddled around with the machine. When they finally got the car started, they asked him to cough up Rs 14,000 as fee. Realising that these men were taking him for a jolly ride, Rajan approached a passer-by and enquired if there was a showroom nearby. When the man replied in the negative, the accused immediately escaped from the site.
Mohammad Sheikh, Rehman Sheikh and Abdul Sayyad
He then registered an online complaint with Mumbai commissioner of police Dattatrey Padasalgikar, who later ordered the Kurla police to investigate the case.
Following the order, the Kurla police nabbed three people, identified as Abdul Sayyad (43), Mohammad Jahid sheikh (26) and Rehman Sheikh (35) yesterday from the same area.
Police inspector Sadanand Rane said, "One accused is absconding. These people targeted luxury car owners."
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