The anti-auto theft squad of west Delhi police on Tuesday arrested 77-year-old Mittal, active in stealing vehicles since 1964, from Paschim Vihar at 7pm, said Pushpendra Kumar, DCP(west). 

During interrogation, Mittal said he is a kleptomaniac and had stolen more than thousand cars from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Punjab, the officer said.

Mittal usually targeted old model vehicles lacking antitheft devices, with the help of a master key.

His interrogation is in progress to know about his involvement in other criminal activities, the officer said.

The accused was earlier arrested by police on March 31 this year in an auto-theft case and was released from jail on May 4.

Also known as ‘Indian Charles Shobhraj’, Mittal also has a reputation for forging documents and impersonating.  

In 1986, he impersonated a magistrate in Haryana for two months and released 2,740 prisoners. 

He’s also notorious for escaping police custody and impersonating as a policeman too.  

Feature image source: PTI/File Photo