1 week Ago
In a shocking revelation, approximately 900 car engines have been stolen from the Kia Motors manufacturing plant near Penukonda in Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh, over the past five years. The theft, which began in 2020, came to light during a year-end audit conducted by the company in March. This prompted Kia Motors to file a formal complaint with the Penukonda Industrial Estate police station on 19 March, following an earlier informal inquiry.
According to a report by The Times of India, Penukonda Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Y Venkateswarulu, who is involved in the investigation, said, “As per preliminary police investigation, 900 car engines were stolen in a phased and planned manner over the last five years. This is definitely an insider’s job, and we suspect collusion between former and current employees at Kia Motors in this organised engine theft.” Initial police suspicions that the engines might have been stolen during transport from Tamil Nadu to the Penukonda plant were ruled out after evidence indicated the theft occurred at the facility itself.
Investigators also discovered that records had been tampered with to conceal the missing engines. Sri Sathya Sai district Superintendent of Police (SP) V Rathna visited the Kia Motors plant to assess the situation and personally examine company records. He stated, “We have formed three special teams to investigate the case.
Our teams are travelling across the country to collect crucial documents, and the investigation is progressing swiftly.” Police are still working to determine the exact methods used by the perpetrators, which they expect to uncover once suspects are apprehended. The investigation remains ongoing, with efforts focused on identifying those responsible.
Kia Motors has clarified that the theft has not impacted its operations. A company spokesperson said, “We roll out around 300,000 to 400,000 vehicle units annually depending on demand, and the theft of 900 car engines hasn’t affected production output in any way.” The company has declined to disclose further details, citing the ongoing police investigation.
The plant in Andhra Pradesh continues to operate normally despite the loss of the engines over the five years..
