Bike thieves held in Arakkonam; nine two-wheelers recovered

Two people were arrested by Arakkonam Town police near Ranipet’s Arakkonam town on Saturday for stealing two-wheelers from public places mostly in Vellore, Ranipet and Tiruvannamalai districts.

Police said the arrested persons were identified as 23-year-old B. Chandru and 34-year-old G. Raghavendra. These are residents of Pernambut town near Katpadi in Vellore. Police seized nine two-wheelers from them.

Initial investigation revealed that after doing a few odd jobs, the duo started stealing two-wheelers from public places and temple festivals in these areas to escape the attention of the public and police. Since Chandra had previously worked as a helper in a repair shop, he is able to repair two-wheelers and remove spare parts.

Following numerous complaints, especially from the affected people, Ranipet Superintendent of Police (SP) Ayman Jamal formed special teams to nab the duo. They also analyzed CCTV footage from routes where two-wheelers were stolen at public events.

During the surprise vehicle checks, the police team comprising Arakkonam District police sub-inspectors K. Jayakandan and S. Chiranjeevi stopped the duo on the two-wheeler on Arakkonam – Sholingur Main Road.

They gave contradictory statements that aroused suspicion in the police. They did not show valid documents of the vehicle. They were taken to the police station.

Police said the duo told them that they were targeting two-wheelers that were hastily parked in public places by their owners. All two-wheelers are owned by the same motorcycle company because they find it easier to sell them on the black market at high prices.

The stolen two-wheelers were kept in thick bushes under a bridge in the area before being sold undocumented, mostly to agricultural workers and illegal smugglers in the surrounding areas.

Each stolen two-wheeler sells for ₹ 5,000 to ₹ 10,000. A case was registered and they were later sent to the Central Jail in Vellore. An investigation is ongoing.