A classic case of a high-profile theft, usually seen in action movies, has been replicated in Andhra Pradesh. One of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers from South Korea, KIA, lost 900 of their car engines. If it had to be converted to sheer weight, then it would be almost 1,35,000 kgs, with a rough estimation that each engine would weigh around 150 kgs.
KIA has India’s largest manufacturing plant near Anantapur town in Andhra Pradesh. How were 1,35,000 kgs worth Rs 9 crores (each engine costs roughly Rs 1 lakh) stolen from the plant escaping surveillance? Where were the heavy units taken to? Who was involved in the meticulous plan that went undetected for years? The police department is trying to find all the answers.
Based on an internal audit at their facility, KIA officials found that 900 car engines were missing. A complaint in this regard was filed with the local police on March 19. A police official who is in the knowhow of the case said that the series of thefts happened in a span of 4-5 years.
While the details remain sketchy, initial leads suggest that the engines, which were typically meant to be transported to other cities for assembly or sale, may have been rerouted elsewhere. The officials at this stage have also not ruled out the possibility of the engines being stolen while being moved within the facility. An insider job is strongly suspected and the police have formed three teams to crack the case. Past and present employees will be questioned, according to the police officials. Investigators are looking into CCTV footage, logistics records and employee movement logs to understand how such a large-scale misappropriation could have gone unnoticed for so long.
Kia Motors has not yet issued a public statement on the matter. Between 2019 and 2024, KIA exported more than 2,50,000 vehicles from Anantapur facility. In the same period, around 10 lakh vehicles were also rolled out from the plant for the domestic market.
