Mumbai:
Javed, alias Bablu Mukhtar Khan (28) specialised in what has to be one of the most niche skills on offer in the world of commerce: stealing and delivering cars, according to the specifications of the customer.
On Tuesday, the one-of-a-kind 'entrepreneur' was ensnared in a trap laid by Crime Branch. Cops revealed that he would receive orders for specific varieties of stolen cars. He would then scour the streets for the exact model in the dubious 'order', and then use the skills he had acquired as a duplicate key maker to break into the chosen car and race off with them, all in a matter of 15 minutes.
He was in Mumbai on Tuesday answering the call of 'duty', having received orders for cars, which were to be used in the election rallies.
A history-sheeter with over 100 cases registered against him, and numerous arrests in his criminal record, Khan was arrested from Malwani, Malad on Tuesday, after cops received a tip-off about his whereabouts.
According to the Crime Branch officers, Khan and his family members would receive orders from clients to rob SUVs manufactured by established brands, along with other luxury four wheelers.
Based on the order, Khan would identify the target vehicle, and proceed to deftly rob the lock of the car's trunk. He would then retreat to another car nearby, and dexterously create a duplicate key to the lock, and swiftly gain entry into it. And the car would be gone in 15 minutes.
"Khan is a professional key maker, and had at his disposal all the instruments required to duplicate keys. He would get orders from all parts of the country, including Mumbai, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh," said Assistant Police Inspector Chinaji Adhav, from unit XI of the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Cops said Khan had over 45 cases against him in Bangalore, and has been arrested many times in the past. A special order for stolen SUVs for the BMC election rallies had brought him to Mumbai. 36 cases were registered against him in Pune, and 15 in Mumbai.
His brother has also been arrested in Pune.
Khan's clientele hailed from lands far and wide, and such was his skill and notoriety that he would also receive orders from bordering countries like Nepal. "Khan would get Rs 10,000 for every vehicle that he robbed," said Adhav.
He was produced in court on Wednesday and has remanded to police custody till February 21.