Baghdad:The Karkh Anti-Crime Directorate has announced the arrest of a gang involved in vehicle theft in the Al-Shu’ala district of Baghdad.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the arrest was made by units from the Karkh Anti-Crime Directorate, specifically the Al-Shu’ala Division. The gang was known for employing a fraudulent scheme to target vehicle owners who listed their cars for sale on social media platforms.

The gang’s method involved hiring a taxi driven by an elderly man, who was duped into believing he was the uncle of a gang member. This man would be introduced to the vehicle owners to gain their trust before the gang would seize the vehicle under the guise of a test drive and then flee with it.

Following the theft, other members of the gang would alter or conceal the stolen vehicles’ license plates to cover up the crime and evade detection. The operation to dismantle the gang was successful due to investigative efforts and close monitoring by the Al-Shu’ala Division units, which led to the identification and arrest of the gang members.