Dubai-based hacker, jammers to block GPS: Delhi Police bust international racket behind luxury car thefts

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Delhi Police’s Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) has uncovered a sophisticated international racket behind the theft of high-end vehicles in the capital, employing a method that bypasses advanced security systems by exploiting a critical vulnerability: the car’s own hologram.

According to a report by TOI, the gang’s modus operandi was both technical and transnational. Thieves would first identify a target vehicle, typically a high-end sedan or SUV and photograph the unique security code displayed on a hologram sticker affixed to the rear windscreen. This image was then sent to a technical expert based in Dubai.

This overseas accomplice would use the photographed code to unlock the vehicle’s security system, generate a new code and transmit it back to the gang members on the ground in India. “With the new code, they would break the window glass, use a machine to input the code and start the vehicle,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan, as reported by TOI.

Once inside, the thieves would immediately use electronic jammers to block the GPS signal, preventing the vehicle’s tracking system from sending an alert to the owner’s phone. With the car isolated and effectively invisible, they would then drive away using the new security code provided by their handler.

The breakthrough in the case came after a dramatic high-speed chase covering over 100 kilometres. The alleged kingpin, Amandeep Singh (42), from Amritsar, Punjab, was finally apprehended in Murthal, Haryana, while behind the wheel of a stolen Toyota Fortuner. Police stated that Singh attempted to ram the pursuing officers before being captured.

The AATS team, led by ACP (Ops) Sulekha Jagarwar and Inspector Raghuvir, had been tracking Singh for two months following a complaint about the theft of an Innova from the Ranjeet Nagar area. Their investigation, which relied on technical surveillance and local intelligence, led to the recovery of several stolen vehicles, including the Fortuner, two Hyundai Cretas and a Kia Seltos.

TOI further reported that Singh is a seasoned offender, with nine previous criminal cases of auto theft, forgery and cheating registered against him across Delhi. He has also been implicated in cases of attempted murder.

The investigation, now being handled by the Central District Police, continues to identify and apprehend the entire network of receivers, handlers and associates involved in disposing of the stolen vehicles. “Efforts are underway to dismantle this network. The accused is in custody and has been booked under relevant BNS sections,” DCP Valsan confirmed, as per TOI report.

The case has highlighted the escalating technological arms race between car thieves and security systems. Police revealed that the gangs are investing heavily in sophisticated equipment; the jammers used to block GPS signals cost approximately Rs 1 lakh each, while the programming machines used to input the new codes are priced at nearly Rs 1.8 lakh each. Key-making machines used in the operations also cost around Rs 1 lakh apiece, underscoring the professional and well-resourced nature of these criminal enterprises.