So far as car thefts go, this one from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi breaks new grounds. The 'car' in question was actually a two-wheeler. But that does not detract from the uniqueness of the modus operandi.
The owner of the scooty - the resident of a flat in Varanasi's Kabir Nagar - has said a girl in a school uniform had come to her and asked for the keys of her two-wheeler.
The scooty needs to be moved, she had said.
Seeing the school uniform, the woman had handed over the keys.
What happened next was caught on the CCTV camera installed outside the building.
The footage shows the girl turning the scooty around carefully, taking furtive glances to see if anyone is watching. Then she starts the vehicle and comfortably rides away.
But it may not be a ride into the sunset. The police are now searching for her.
The scooty owner has filed a complaint with the Varanasi police, on basis of which a First Information Report has been registered.