Chennai man buys stolen car on OLX, tows it away; arrested
During their probe, the police had found that the car had been listed for sale online, which helped them identify the accused and led to the recovery of the car.
Chennai man buys stolen car on OLX
CHENNAI: A 20-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly purchasing a stolen Honda Civic through an OLX listing, towing it away using a rented truck, and hiding it in Vyasarpadi.
During their probe, the police had found that the car had been listed for sale online, which helped them identify the accused and led to the recovery of the car.
The complaint about the stolen car was filed by Raphael (63), an auto workshop owner in Vyasarpadi. On August 1, a customer, Rani (60), had dropped off her Honda Civic at his workshop for repairs. Raphael then parked the car on a nearby road, from where it was later stolen.
Upon investigation, the police found that the stolen car had been listed for sale on OLX by a man named Pradeepraja.
Arvind (20), from Veppur taluk in Cuddalore district, had come across the ad and agreed to buy the car for Rs 1.25 lakh, without requesting ownership documents or keys. He then hired a private tow truck, picked up the car from the location shared by the seller, and hid it in Vyasarpadi.
Police tracked down Arvind, arrested him, and recovered both the car and the tow truck. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.
Police are now searching for Pradeepraja, who posted the OLX ad, and other suspects involved in the case.
"Unverified online purchases of vehicles without documentation enable such crimes. Citizens must exercise extreme caution while dealing with online marketplaces," the police warned.