A car thief in India, who operated for 24 years and stole thousands of vehicles, is vying for a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
Anil Chauhan, a 54-year-old man, who had wreaked havoc in India for many years, was arrested by the Delhi police a few months ago, putting an end to his rampant activities. Chauhan is believed to have stolen around 5,000 vehicles since he began his criminal activities in 1998.
During his 24-year illegal spree, Chauhan traveled by plane to every corner of the populous country, targeting various types of four-wheel treasures that he would steal with the help of his gang members. He would then sell these stolen vehicles in the northeastern part of the country and even in Nepal, according to local media reports.
His list of stolen cars includes many SUVs, many of which bore the badges of Toyota, Hyundai, and Suzuki.
Apart from car theft, Anil Chauhan was involved in other illegal activities, such as arms trafficking and rhinoceros horn smuggling. He has been previously involved in 181 criminal cases and has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Chauhan had been evading the police for many months, but they managed to apprehend him after intensifying their operations to combat illegal arms trade, which has been on the rise in India.
Upon his arrest, the police found an illegal pistol, two cartridges, and a stolen motorcycle. Subsequent investigation also revealed another stolen car among other items.
Chauhan had been masquerading as a businessman, driving expensive cars to avoid suspicion from law enforcement authorities.
