Mumbai: A 26-year-old mobile phone dealer who doubled as a bike thief landed in the custody of the local crime branch (LCB) unit of the Thane (rural) police on Wedn-
esday. Alarmed by the spate of bike theft cases in the region, SP Dr Shivaji Rathod deputed the LCB team to conduct parallel investigations and nab the culprits at the earliest. Interestingly, the thieves had a penchant for Bajaj Pulsar bikes, the police said. Six two-wheelers, including five Pulsars, have been recovered so far.
According to the police, the accused —who has been identified as Nalasopara resident Pandu Bhawani Singh Rajput (26) —ran out of luck after the LCB team led by senior police inspector Vyenkat Andhale tracked his accomplice Laxman Jetharam Solanki (26) from his residence in Bhayandar on the virtue of their images captured in the act by the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the Navghar area from where they stole a Bajaj Pulsar last month. Throwing light on their modus operandi, assistant police inspector Pramod Badhakh said, “Solanki would hunt for unlocked bikes, especially Bajaj Pulsars, and after locating one, he would pass on the information to Rajput. When interrogated, the duo confessed to stealing.
