Delhi battles an alarming rise in motor vehicle thefts

Owning a motor vehicle in Delhi increasingly feels like a gamble, marked by persistent unease. Today your car may be parked safely outside your home; tomorrow, you might be rushing to the nearest police station to file an FIR, your vehicle having vanished without a trace.

This unsettling scenario has become an almost daily reality in the national capital. According to Delhi Police data sourced from the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET), 9,524 FIRs for stolen motor vehicles were filed in 2025 as of April 3.

However, ZIPNET’s own database reflects only 5,215 such cases in the same period — nearly half the number. Compared to last year, this marks a sharp 45.2% increase, signalling a worrying upward trend.

How Delhi’s districts are performing

While several districts in Delhi have reported a decline in vehicle thefts, the data suggests that others have seen a marked surge. South West, North, and Outer districts have shown positive movement, but many others have witnessed a rise.

Until April 3, 2025, South West district had logged 295 incidents of motor vehicle theft. The Outer district reported 627 such cases, while North district registered 418.

In contrast, during the same period in 2024, the North district had seen 586 thefts and the Outer district a staggering 2,968 — indicating a notable decline in these areas.

However, other districts — including North West, East, Shahdara, Rohini, South East, South, Dwarka, West, Central, North East, and New Delhi — collectively accounted for 8,184 thefts this year, suggesting a broad-based increase in criminal activity elsewhere.

In fact, Delhi was declared the motor vehicle theft capital of India in 2024, according to an annual report by ACKO General Insurance. The report revealed that in 2023, the city averaged 105 car thefts per day — roughly one every 14 minutes.

Delhi Police figures, as reported by Patriot, confirmed 40,213 motor vehicle thefts in 2023, a rise from 38,185 in 2022. Despite this increase in raw numbers, Delhi’s share of the country’s total vehicle thefts fell from 56% in 2022 to 37% in 2023.

According to ACKO’s data, certain localities emerged as major hotspots: Uttam Nagar in West Delhi, Bhajanpura in North East Delhi, Shahdara, Patparganj in East Delhi, and Badarpur in South East Delhi.

Among districts, West Delhi recorded the highest number of cases in 2023 — 4,401 — up from 4,136 the previous year.

The same report placed Chennai and Bengaluru as the second and third most affected cities among the six studied. Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata fared better, reporting comparatively lower numbers.

It also revealed that the number of vehicle thefts nearly doubled nationwide between 2022 and 2023. Although Delhi’s proportional share declined, the NCR region still saw one vehicle stolen every 14 minutes on average.

Days with the highest theft rates were Tuesdays, Sundays, and Thursdays, although the spread remained relatively even across the week.

Experts attribute Delhi’s high vulnerability to multiple factors: the lack of organised parking, a booming grey market for vehicles and spare parts in neighbouring states, porous city borders, and the ease of filing FIRs.

Maruti Suzuki vehicles were the most frequently targeted, accounting for 47% of stolen cars. In Delhi NCR, hatchbacks like the Maruti Wagon R and Maruti Swift topped the list, followed by the Hyundai Creta, Hyundai Grand i10, and Maruti Swift Dzire.

Experts flag urban design and surveillance gaps

Urban planning experts point to structural and infrastructural issues as the root of the problem — from inadequate surveillance to disorganised urban development and flawed parking policies.

Pushkar Pawar, a town planner with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), emphasised that CCTV surveillance alone cannot address the scale of the crisis.

“In a city as vast as Delhi, surveillance has its limitations. CCTV cameras can’t detect subtle indicators, such as the lights turning on when a car starts, and often fail to capture license plates in time. Besides, not all cameras are equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology,” he explained.

Mukesh Mehta, an urban planning expert, cited poor urban design as a major contributor.

“Cities across the country — especially Delhi — haven’t been designed to accommodate the sheer volume of cars we see today. The shortage of organised parking has resulted in people leaving their vehicles wherever they can find space: footpaths, back alleys, you name it. This chaotic setup makes it incredibly difficult for law enforcement to monitor every vehicle, and creates the perfect opportunity for thieves,” Mehta said.

A 2023 survey by Comparitech, a non-profit focused on surveillance and public safety, found that Delhi had 1,490.19 CCTV cameras per square mile — the highest density in India and globally, excluding Chinese cities. Yet, this dense surveillance network has not deterred criminals effectively.

To enhance tracking, Delhi Police have begun deploying upgraded systems, including ANPR cameras and smart monitoring software. But the gap between tech capacity and ground reality remains vast.

Inside the car theft racket

On March 6, 2025, Delhi Police dismantled a high-tech car theft gang responsible for stealing around 90–100 vehicles over the past 10 months. Three key members — Ravi, 42, Monu, 45, and Vishal, 40 — were arrested.

The gang primarily operated in the early morning hours, targeting popular models such as the Hyundai Creta, Toyota Fortuner, and Maruti Brezza, often parked near parks or gyms.

Using advanced tools like the X-tool, a Chinese scanner, Ravi and Vishal — both former car mechanics — exploited vehicles’ onboard diagnostic ports to duplicate digital keys, enabling them to drive away in five to seven minutes.

To avoid detection, the gang used walkie-talkies instead of mobile phones and sold stolen vehicles in Punjab and Haryana.

Acting on a tip-off, police caught the trio in South West Delhi’s Kakrola area, inside a vehicle bearing a fake number plate.

Also Read: Increasing number of children go missing in Delhi, this is why

Seized items included walkie-talkies, a drill machine, screwdrivers, hammers, an iron rod, wire cutters, master keys, and multiple number plates.

Ravi, with 48 prior cases since 2002, reportedly turned to car theft after losing money as a property dealer. He later partnered with a Punjab-based auto-lifter, expanding his network to include family members.

While Monu assisted in thefts, Vishal was responsible for driving the vehicles away. Subsequent raids in Ludhiana, Rajpura, and Sirsa recovered two stolen vehicles — a Fortuner and a Creta.

Separately, on February 19, 2025, police arrested Mehtab, along with Faisal and Shahjaan, in connection with another car theft ring.

Operating across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, the gang had stolen more than 50 cars using key programming machines and other advanced tools.

They sold the vehicles for Rs 1–1.5 lakh after tampering with identification details. Mehtab alone had 36 prior cases. Police recovered four vehicles, equipment, and firearms during the operation.

An uphill battle

While police have made significant breakthroughs, the overall picture remains grim.

Delhi continues to battle its reputation as a motor vehicle theft hub, with two-wheelers and e-rickshaws still among the most frequently stolen vehicles.

Despite the installation of advanced surveillance systems and targeted operations, the city’s sprawling geography, lack of infrastructure, and porous borders leave it vulnerable.

Until deeper structural reforms and coordinated efforts across agencies are implemented, vehicle ownership in Delhi will likely remain an anxious proposition.