Palghar Crime Unit Nabs 'OBD Star' Thief With 53 Cases; Stolen Swift Recovered From Gujarat Buyer

Palghar, Maharashtra: The Crime Branch Unit–3 of Virar has successfully arrested a habitual vehicle thief involved in multiple four-wheeler theft cases and recovered a stolen car worth ₹3 lakh.

Swift Stolen from Nalasopara West, Case Registered Under BNS

According to police officials, between January 21 and January 23, 2026, an unknown accused stole a white Maruti Suzuki Swift car. The vehicle was parked near Tulip Deep Garden in Chheda Nagar, Nalasopara West. Following the incident, a case was registered at Nalasopara Police Station under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Acting on instructions from senior officers, the Crime Branch initiated a parallel investigation into the theft. With the assistance of CCTV footage and confidential information, police arrested the main accused, Mohammad Taufeek Habibullah (47) on February 3, 2026. The accused is originally from Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh and was currently residing in Palava City, Kalyan, in Thane district.

Police also arrested another accused, Virendra Sitarambhai Sharma (38), from Mansa in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat, for allegedly purchasing the stolen vehicle.

Stolen WagonR Used in Crime, Burglary Tools Recovered

During the course of the investigation, police recovered the stolen car. They also seized a Maruti Suzuki WagonR car, which was used during the theft, along with a TVS Jupiter motorcycle. Further inquiry revealed that the WagonR had been stolen earlier from the jurisdiction of Khadakpada Police Station.

A search conducted at the Habibullah’s residence led to the recovery of several burglary tools and equipment. Police seized 22 new and old car keys, screwdrivers, cutters, hammers, spanners, multiple vehicle number plates, electronic parts, and a scanner machine used for generating duplicate keys.

Wi-Fi Enabled Scanner Used to Hack Car System in Minutes

Police revealed that the accused used a highly advanced method to steal vehicles. He would break the co-driver side window with a hammer and enter the car without opening the door to avoid triggering the alarm system. He would then disconnect the vehicle circuits and use an OBD Star scanner connected via Wi-Fi to decode the key system and create a duplicate key, enabling him to steal the vehicle within five to ten minutes.

Further interrogation and evidence have led to the exposure of four additional crimes linked to the accused. Habibullah is also wanted in four cases in Madhya Pradesh and has 53 criminal cases registered against him across Maharashtra. A proclamation warrant has also been issued against him by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court at Esplanade, Mumbai.

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