An inter-state car theft racket has been busted with the arrest of four members in raids in Calcutta and Bihar over the past two days. Two cars — a Maruti and a Tata Sumo — were seized from them and sleuths are looking for four more vehicles that were stolen from the city streets.

The first to be arrested was gang leader Jawahar Rai, 52, in Muchipara on Tuesday morning. “During interrogation, he revealed the names of three of his associates — Rakesh Madhup, Jagannath Rai and Naresh Rai — all residents of Bihar,” said Gyanwant Singh, deputy commissioner of police (detective department).

A team from the motor theft wing left for Bihar immediately. “We arrested the three in Muzaffarpur and Vaishali on Thursday. The two vehicles were seized from them,” said an officer.

Singh said: “Jawahar led the gang with help from Jagannath and Naresh. The trio would first spot an unmanned car parked in the open and steal it using master keys at night.” They would drive the stolen car to Bihar via Dhanbad. “Madhup would buy the stolen cars for Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh each, ” the deputy commissioner said. “He would register the vehicles with Bihar’s motor vehicles department and resell them.”

Police said the gang had stolen at least half-a-dozen cars in the city. “We are looking for a city-based gang member,” said an officer.