Married, jobless youth steals 111 two-wheelers, arrested

Staff Reporter

In a major breakthrough, the Anti-Vehicle Theft Squad of the Crime Branch nabbed a notorious vehicle-lifter, involved in theft of 111 two-wheelers over the last two years. The accused was identified as Lalit Gajendra Bhoge (24), a resident of Vikas Nagar, Kondhali. Bhoge used to sell the stolen vehicles at a meager price and assured the purchasers of handing over the documents in two months. However, according to the police, he did not provide the documents to any purchaser. Bhoge was arrested following theft of a two-wheeler near Hotel Rahul in Wadi a few days ago. Following registration of a case of vehicle theft by Wadi Police, the Anti-Vehicle Theft Squad intensified efforts to get a clue about the rising wave of vehicle thefts in the city. Commissioner of Police Dr Ravinder Singal, who assumed office recently, expressed concern over the escalating number of vehicle thefts. Daily, about 10 such cases are registered at various police stations across city.

At a press conference, on Wednesday, Dr Singal commended the efforts of the squad and highlighted the unprecedented scale of the operation. “This is the first time in the history of the city police force that such a large number of crimes have been uncovered, and a large number of stolen vehicles have been seized in one go,” Dr Single said. The arrest of Bhoge revealed a pattern of thefts centered around the weekly market in Wadi. Bhoge strategically targeted the market, where a high volume of vehicles would be parked, especially on Sundays. His preferred method involved breaking the handle locks during market days. Bhoge also stole vehicles from the parking lot under Dhantoli bridge.

Acting on a tip-off of Kapil Tandekar and Rahul Kusrame, the police officials launched a hunt to arrest Bhoge. The investigation included the identification of hotspots, with officers checking CCTV footage to track his movements after each theft. The operation ultimately led to the arrest of Bhoge and recovery of 111 stolen two-wheelers. During interrogation, Bhoge revealed his modus operandi and motive behind turning to the crime. He cited financial difficulties post marriage three years ago. His actions were driven by the inability to maintain his family which pushed him to resort to stealing and selling vehicles in various cities across Vidarbha at just Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. The arrest was made by PSI Anil Ingole, Vilas Kokate, Ajay Shukla, Pankaj Hedau, Kapil Tandekar, Rahul Kusrame, Abhay Dhone, and PSI Balram Zadokar.