How 900 Kia engines went missing— The heist, the hunt, and the security nightmare

Andhra Pradesh police have arrested nine individuals in connection with the theft of around 900 automotive engines from Kia Motors’ manufacturing plant in Sri Sathya Sai district, The Times of India reported. Among those arrested, most are from Tamil Nadu, and two are foreign nationals who previously worked at Kia.

The arrests came nearly a month after Kia filed a complaint. The accused were presented in court and have been sent to 14 days of judicial custody. According to police, the stolen engines were smuggled and sold in multiple cities across India, including Meerut, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Madurai.

The large-scale theft was uncovered during a year-end audit conducted in March this year. Investigators believe the engines were stolen in phases over a span of five years.

Authorities estimate over 30 people may be linked to the racket, and there are concerns that several suspects remain untraceable.

“This is extremely dangerous. These vehicles could potentially be used in criminal activities or fall into the hands of anti-social elements, posing a serious threat to national security,” a senior police officer told ToI. Reports suggest that the stolen engines were being reassembled with locally sourced spare parts to build functioning vehicles.

Police are now focused on identifying the masterminds behind the operation, tracing the vehicles built with the stolen engines, and gathering information about their end users. Investigators are also examining whether audit protocols were ignored or records were manipulated during the five-year theft period.

With inputs from ToI