Surat: A 27-year-old man was arrested in Surat on Wednesday for allegedly stealing auto-rickshaws. He immediately confessed to the crime and expressed his desire to go to jail. He had apparently spent around 6 years in different jails in Mumbai.
The accused, Mehboobkhan Pathan, had started stealing at the age of 13 and explained that he wanted to stay detached from the world after going through a terrible break-up with his girlfriend.
Pathan started stealing when he was in VII standard. The first time, he stole Rs 250 from his house. According to his statement, he did it because he was upset about break up. The girl’s marriage had been fixed with someone else, bringing an abrupt end to their relationship. This enraged him, and he carried out a series of thefts in and around his house.
His family, worried, tried all sorts of things to reform him. They even took him to a tantric but it was of no help. His father then decided to chain him up and thrash him, but Pathan managed to escape to Mumbai.
In Mumbai, Pathan started stealing mobile phones and laptops in different areas and was caught several times. He has been locked up in jails of Byculla, Central, Thane, Kalyan and Yerwada for thefts. Other times, he has lived in dormitories near the railway stations in Mumbai.
Later, Pathan started stealing auto-rickshaws in Ankleshwar and then Surat. "Pathan started stealing at a very young age and majority of his crimes were committed in Mumbai. After arrest, he confessed to his crime immediately since he was ready to go to jail. He wants to spend most of his time in jail," said B K Vanar, police inspector, Salabatpura police station.
