Mangalore: Rapid Increase in Car Logo Thefts Baffles Police, Public
 
Prakash Samaga
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Mar 27: Car logo thefts in the city have been giving nightmares to car owners in the city over the last six months. Despite hundreds of complaints being registered, the police have not been able to trace the thieves.

Logos of expensive cars like Innova, Honda City, BMW and many others have been targeted by unknown thieves. Public in general are of the opinion that college students may be involved in this act. Another source from police department revealed to a mediaperson that  primary and high school students are more involved in this act, thus making it challenging to the police department.
 
There were instances when police let the students scott free keeping in view their future. Now, it is learnt that the same students are again into this act. It is also frightening to know that cars which were parked right near the police commissioner’s office were targeted and their logos disappeared in no time!
 
It is said that thieves use an iron rod to separate the logo from the car. Primary and high school students use their scale in this case. It is learnt that there are some organized hands that make students 'work' on this. Such students are trained by the group. However, police do not seem keen on getting to the bottom of these theft cases.

Another argument is that some blame should fall on the manufacturers of these luxury cars too, for having placed their logos in a simple manner, making it easy for thieves to pluck them out. However, being international cars with most of their specifications being uniform and consistent throughout their global markets, such argument does not hold water.

Dr Rajshekar, one of the victims of car logo theft, speaking to Daijiworld said that about two months ago he found  the logo of his Chevrolet Cruze car missing after he returned from his gym. He informed Pandeshwar police, and suspects that the logo may be used for other purposes as steel metal has good market value. Also, the stolen logos also make their way into the black market, where they may be picked up by people who want to modify their cars or simply have a posh logo to beautify their vehicles.
 
Mukund Shet told Daijiworld that his Volkswagon’s logo was stolen on the New Year eve when he had parked his car in Karangalpady. However, he approached the Barke police and got his logo back. Barke police had traced three logo thieves, all students, but they were let free as their exams were nearing. Mukund still hesitates to park his car anywhere, as there is no guarantee that the logo would be left in its place.
 
When contacted, police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh told Daijiworld that about 15 days back almost 100 logos had been recovered from as many as 25 young boys, all of them primary and high school students. They hailed from well-to-do families, and their parents and teachers were called and informed, he said. "Police department is making investigations on the key suspect behind the act. As the culprits are juveniles, no police action can be taken against them," he said.
 
People with luxury cars in the city can only hope the police would find the mastermind behind these thefts. Such cases are common metropolitan and cosmopolitan cities like Bangalore, but in Mangalore it is quite a new phenomenon. Increase in the number of wealthy people and consequently luxury cars in the city has attracted these thieves, and until the police crackdown on the racket, people will have to be cautious.