Gaj Singh's stolen car recovered

JAIPUR: A day after the Mercedes car owned by erstwhile ruler of Jodhpur Gaj Singh was stolen from a showroom in Sitapura Industrial Area, the car
was recovered from Sikar Road where it was lying unattended on Friday. The police, suspecting that the car might have been lifted by a showroom employee, have rounded up some of them, but arrest could not be made in the matter by late evening.
The police said after the car was reported stolen on Thursday from the Chevrolet showroom which also provides facility of Mercedes cars' servicing, intense search had been launched. "The gears had developed some technical snag following which the car had been sent to the service station a week ago. The driver had returned to Jodhpur after giving the car to the service station's manager," said Biju Jorge Joseph, SP (east).
On Thursday, the manager of the showroom found the car missing from outside the showroom where it had been parked in the afternoon. "The keys without which the car can not be opened due to its sophisticated locking system were also found missing. The keys were inside the showroom hanging from a wall," said the officer.
He said prima-facie investigations have revealed that the keys were easily accessible to the showroom employees only. "Our theory is that some employees might have stolen the car to bring disrepute to the showroom. Besides, the possibility of someone stealing the car just for fun also could not be ruled out," he said.
On Friday morning, the car was spotted by some policemen parked at the Sikar Road near Alka Cinema Hall in Vishwakarma area. "The keys were missing from the car's ignition. No damage has been done to the car," said the officer.
The forensic examination of the car was conducted and police have recovered some fingerprints. "The fingerprints will be matched with all the showroom employees," said a police officer.
The car was brought to Sanganer Sadar police station and an FIR was registered in the matter by the car driver who reached Jaipur from Jodhpur in the afternoon.
An employee of the showroom told TOI that the car had been bought in 2007. "Someone from Ummed Palace in Jodhpur had inquired about the car on phone on Thursday evening and when the showroom manager went to check the status, it was found missing," said the employee.
The fact that the person who stole the car managed to drive it to Vishwakarma area despite alert on this conspicuous car has raised questions over police's promptness in vehicle lifting cases. A police officer said that the lifter could have managed this as the police might have been informed about the theft much latter after the car was stolen.