Ballari Police have arrested two gangs of bike lifters in a week and recovered 62 bikes together worth ₹43 lakh.
Superintendent of Police Ranjit Kumar Bandaru appreciated the work of the police teams and announced ₹10,000 cash prize to each one of them at a media conference in his office in Ballari on Wednesday.
As per information he shared, a team comprising Deputy Superintendent of Police H. Shekharappa and Cowl Bazaar Inspector T. Subhash arrested four bike lifters, 48-year-old S. Rafeeq, 30-year-old Mohammad Wasim, 28-year-old Abubkar and 41-year-old Nazir, and recovered 37 bikes in all worth ₹26 lakh from them.
“The gang stole all these bikes in a span of one year. A vehicle which was used to transport the stolen bikes was also seized. Most of the bikes were stolen using duplicate keys. Crowded public places such as hospitals, bus stand and markets were targeted to steal the bikes,” Mr. Bandaru said.
Their modus operandi, Mr. Bandaru said, was to closely observe parked bikes. And, then lift only those bikes that remained parked for a long time. “They would then sell the bikes at cheaper prices to innocent people who did not know about the crime,” Mr. Bandaru said.
The officer said that another team that was headed by Kurugod Police Sub-Inspector Supreet arrested Suresh and Karim and recovered from them 25 bikes in all worth ₹17 lakh.
