Panchkula: For victims of vehicle theft, police recovery may bring relief, but reclaiming their vehicles often turns into another lengthy and expensive battle involving courts, lawyers, guarantors and multiple rounds of paperwork.A Manimajra resident recently learnt this after his stolen motorcycle was recovered by Chandimandir police. The private employee, who did not wish to be named, said he discovered the recovery only through a newspaper report. When he reached the police station, the bike was damaged and missing both number plates. Police identified it through its chassis number.What followed was a nearly month-long process before he could take possession of his motorcycle.To secure its release, he first had to approach a court for supardari, engage an advocate and arrange a guarantor. He was also required to ensure that the police response reached the court so that his release application could be processed.Even after the court issued the release order, further formalities remained. Separate files were prepared for the owner and guarantor, property documents had to be submitted, paperwork completed and documents notarised before the vehicle could finally be handed over by the police.“I spent around Rs 3,000 on the release process and another Rs 5,000 on repairs. Despite being the owner, I had to go through weeks of procedures to get my own vehicle back,” he said, adding that he was told he could not sell the motorcycle without court permission while the case remains pending.Legal experts say such experiences are common. Advocate Nitesh Mittal, practising at Panchkula district courts, said the process should be simplified, especially when ownership is clearly established.“A registered owner’s vehicle should ideally be released within a week. Instead, victims often lose another 20 days or more completing formalities after already suffering the theft,” he said.Chandimandir SHO Rampal Singh, however, maintained that police respond promptly to court communications concerning supardari applications.The issue assumes significance amid persistently high vehicle theft numbers in Panchkula. Police records obtained under the RTI Act show that 133 vehicles were stolen in the district in the first six months of 2026, while only 57 were recovered.If the trend continues, this year’s theft figures could rival recent annual totals. In 2025, Panchkula recorded 339 vehicle thefts and 144 recoveries. The corresponding figures were 342 thefts and 73 recoveries in 2024, 357 thefts and 94 recoveries in 2023, and 409 thefts and 115 recoveries in 2022.Police officials said two-wheelers account for the bulk of theft cases. A commonly used 97cc motorcycle remains among the most frequently targeted vehicles due to its relatively simple ignition mechanism and limited anti-theft safeguards.Stolen motorcycles are often used in other crimes, including snatching and petty theft, police said. Markets, crowded parking areas and the Kalka-Pinjore belt remain among the vulnerable locations.Deputy commissioner of police (crime and traffic) Amrinder Singh said police teams were continuously working to trace stolen vehicles and had strengthened coordination with neighbouring districts, including Chandigarh and Mohali, to improve recoveries.However, Panchkula Vikas Manch member Rakesh Aggarwal said preventive policing also needed greater attention. He called for regular verification drives in residential colonies and villages and increased patrolling in vulnerable areas, arguing that large deployments for VIP duties often leave fewer personnel available for routine policing.
