Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of the Crime Branch maintained watch on the Amroli Sayan Road and stopped a car (GJ-15-K-2729) for suspicious movement.

They questioned the driver, Kamlesh Bhanderi, a resident of Katargam, who failed to give satisfactory answers. Besides, he was also not having the papers of the car, the police said.

Bhanderi was thoroughly interrogated during which he confessed that the car was stolen from the Mahidharpura area. The police said Bhanderi also confessed to having stolen six cars from Katargam, Mahidharpura, Khatodara, Umra and the Varachha areas of the city. They were all parked in an abandoned manner and were later recovered by the police.

The police said Bhanderi was earlier working at an under-construction site in Nadiad and had lost his job after a minor dispute with the other staffers. He returned to Surat and started staying with his wife and children at his parent’s home in Katargam. He later started stealing cars after learning the craft from one of his friend. Later though, he broke the partnership and started working solo.

The police said after stealing the cars, Bhanderi abandoned them on the road side and sold the LPG kits, and with the money generated, purchased liquor bottles from Daman, which he bootlegged to different parties in Nadiad.

They said Bhanderi’s wife left him and went to her in-law’s place when she learnt about his involvement in criminal activities. Even his parents threw him out of the house, they said.