Karachi Car Thief Posing as Namazi Caught After Decades-Long Crime Spree

Karachi Police's Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell (AVLC) has apprehended a notorious car thief, Insaf Ali, who had been operating for over a decade. The 47-year-old Ghotki native would pose as a praying worshipper at mosques to steal vehicles parked outside, then transport the stolen cars to Quetta for sale. The criminal mastermind, whose real name is Mir Khan, has a record of 14 thefts, with his first case registered in 2000.

AVLC identified Ali using CCTV footage that went viral on social media, showing him offering prayers at a mosque in Gulshan-e-Iqbal before skillfully stealing a parked Mehran and escaping. During the arrest, Ali confessed to selling the stolen cars in Quetta, and police have obtained details of the buyer. SSP AVLC Khalid Mustafa Korai stated that Ali specialized in disguises and would target vehicles during Fajr prayer timings, moving stolen vehicles out of Karachi before daybreak.

Police urge citizens to install dual trackers in valuable vehicles, as car lifters typically disable one tracker, while the second can help police trace and apprehend the culprits.