PUNE: A 26-year-old computer science graduate was arrested on Monday and 16 motorcycles, mostly Honda Unicorns, he allegedly stole and sold to buyers on an online marketplace were recovered.
“Mahadev Shivaji Garad, the arrested man, hails from Latur. He has eight previous vehicle theft cases registered against him there,” assistant inspector Ram Gomare of the Chikhali police said.
There were complaints of thefts of motorcycles, particularly Honda Unicorns, from More Vasti, Sane Chowk, Kudalwadi and surrounding areas in Chikhali over the past few months. The residents of these areas park their two-wheelers on the roadside because there is no parking arrangement in their colonies.
“We laid several traps in those areas to trace the suspects. Recently, our team noticed a person driving a Honda Unicorn motorcycle in More Vasti. We chased him and took him into custody for questioning,” Gomare said.
The officer said when the police team frisked him, a bunch of keys were found. He initially refused to have any connection with the motorcycle thefts in the area.
“We had CCTV footage in which the same man was seen driving away on a motorcycle. During the sustained questioning, the suspect, Garad, admitted to his involvement in the motorcycle thefts,” Gomare said.
Master keys
Gomare said the suspect, Garad, shifted from Latur to Pune and started working as a delivery person. To make easy money, he started stealing motorcycles in Chikhali. “He used to steal motorcycles between 4.30am and 7am using master keys,” Gomare said.
He said Garad used to wear a tracksuit and sports shoes and pose as if he was out for exercise to avoid the attention of morning walkers. “After identifying any parked Unicorn motorcycle, he would start it using the keys with him and drive away with it,” the officer said.
Gomare said Garad opened a page under another name on social media’s online marketplace. He used to post photographs of the stolen motorcycles there. “He would sell the stolen motorcycles for Rs25,000 to Rs30,000. He would promise the buyers to provide the vehicles’ documents later,” Gomare said.
He said most of the buyers of these motorcycles were from Pune, and a few were from Latur and other parts of the state. “We have recovered 16 stolen motorcycles worth Rs7.3 lakh so far. Garad used to steal Honda Unicorn motorcycles as there is a demand for them, and he would easily find a buyer.”
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