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Alarming
increase in vehicle robberies Majority of the vehicle thefts takes place within the Colombo city, but the thefts are not uncommon in the outstations and main towns either, according to statistics maintained at the Police headquarters. During the first six months of this year alone more than 130 vehicles had gone missing in Colombo while the vehicle robberies during the past 10 months have increased when compared to last year. Among the main victims have been rent-a-car companies, taxies or individual owners who rent out their vans to prospective clients while other vehicle owners have not escaped either. "Car theft has become a major problem and a risk in the last few months", one rent-a-car businessman with more than two decades of experience in the field said. "Although there has been isolated robberies for many years, this sudden spurt in recent months is really beginning to scare us now", he said. "More than fifteen of my vehicles have been stolen during the past four months and I have suffered heavy losses", a company director who did not wanted to be identified said. "In fact, I am considering closing down my business as it has become just too dangerous to run a rent-a-car service anymore", the businessman added. "Even though we complain to the Police they often take no action, and thus we are forced to pursue the criminals on our own", another businessman said. Another businessman alleged he had to provide the police investigating team with meals, money and vehicles with petrol to motivate them to carry out investigations. "Even after feeding the police out of my own pocket, I had to go out on my own and find the missing vehicles and after finding the culprit when I handed him over to the police they took all the credit", the businessman said, referring to the large haul of stolen vehicles recently from the outskirts of the Colombo city. "Many of the stolen vehicles are being shipped to the north without any problem", alleged another businessman. "Although I often have trouble getting past the Omanthai checkpoint even with my legitimate papers, a vehicle that was stolen from my company managed to get past the checkpoint with relative ease", he lamented. "Another problem in identifying thieves is that most of them come to us with forged identity cards", the manager of another rent-a-car company said. "Four cars of mine have been robbed so far this year by people with forged ID cards. Also many of the guarantors have been our regular customers", the businessman said. In order to combat the rise in car robberies, several rent-a-car businessmen are coming together to form an association. "We hope to get this venture off the ground in the next two months", a representative of the association said. In one instance a UNP politician who contested the Municipal Council elections in 1991 was allegedly responsible for the theft of more than 15 vehicles from a rent-a-car company and ironically a senior police officer was among those responsible for getting the vehicles from the company. The former UNP politician Samantha Rajapakse who has been accused of the thefts is said to be absconding. "A certain senior police officer appeared as the guarantor in this case", the owner of one of the companies who had lost two vehicles which were being hired to the politician said. "The Police officer used his official seal to certify the documents but when the cars went missing, he refused to be held responsible", the businessman said. Meanwhile the former UNP politician is allegedly hiding in Tangalle from where Police have been unable to arrest him yet. The Colombo Crimes Division Director SSP Sarath Lugoda said the main cause for the rise in vehicle thefts were the links being formed between the criminals in the north and the south. "Many thieves drive their stolen vehicles up north, sell them, and come back to the south by public transport", SSP Lugoda said. "As far as I know, the Army checkpoint at Omanthai does not check the engine and chasis numbers of vehicles, making it very easy for car thieves to sneak past it", the SSP said. "Most of these thefts are done by small gangs of around four or five people", SSP Lugoda explained. "What the public can do to combat this rise in vehicle theft is to inform the Police as soon as something fishy happens", he said. "The police now has access to the RMV computer database, making it that much easier for them to track down a vehicle's true owner", Mr. Lugoda said. Mr. Lugoda said he was aware of garages where these stolen cars were stripped for spare parts but have not been able to carry out any sucessful raids yet. SSP Lugoda warned the public not to leave their vehicles unattended and advised owners to install a vehicle alarm. T-56
in exchange for a vehicle The Mirihana Police Special Investigations unit had uncovered this information by questioning a suspect who they apprehended on Wednesday in Nugegoda. The suspect was apprehended along with the vehicle in which the robbers had arrived at the scene of the crime. Two forged number plates were also discovered inside the vehicle. The arrested suspect had reportedly told the Mirihana Police that his gang had decided to rob a vehicle because a member of another gang had offered to exchange it for a latest model T 56 rifle. The vehicle which was a brand new Honda Civic worth 2.5 million rupees was found by the Allawwa police on Monday. Sources had informed the Allawwa Inspector Sujith Wedamulla about a car which had no number plate. While the car was parked at a restaurant in Allawwa the Inspector managed to apprehend the suspect. The suspect is said to be a 26-year-old army deserter residing in Mirigama. The wife of the victim immediately identified the suspect who is held in custody at the Allawwa Police. Police are meanwhile looking for two other suspects, one of whom is said to be an army deserter. |
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