Inter-State gang busted; bikes worth Rs 18 lakh seized

Chittoor: Chittoor police have arrested a gang of seven inter-State motorcycle thieves who stole two-wheelers at nine places in AP and seven in Karnataka. The police recovered 26 two-wheelers, valued at Rs 18 lakh from the accused.

"For the past several days, six people have been stealing two-wheelers and selling them to Meghnadh and Ganesh," said a police official on Tuesday.

Gudupalli, Kuppam, Rallabaduguru, Ramakuppam, V. Kota, Palamaneru, Gangavaram, Punganuru and Bangarupalya in AP and HAL, Kolar town, Maasti, Mullabgal, Anugondhanahalli, Sampigehalli and Varthur in Karnataka are the places where this gang struck for stealing vehicles.

T Vinay Kumar (21), V Ekambaram (20), M Muniraju (20), K Lakshman (20), B Santosh (22), K Meghnadh (24) and K Ganesh (27) were arrested for the series of vehicles thefts in the neighbouring States.

The police received complaints on a series of two-wheeler thefts near PES College in Gudupalli mandal, prompting them to mount a vigil on nabbing the vehicle lifters.

S Tamil Selvam (23), an AC technician at PES medical college, residing in hostel room number 103 had also lodged a complaint that his two-wheeler was stolen from the college parking place.

On Monday afternoon, Gudupalli police sub-inspector and Rallabuduguru sub-inspector were monitoring Govindapalli - Arimanupenta road at Palarevu near Subramanya Swamy temple, where they noticed six of the accused moving on six vehicles.

"On seeing the police, they tried to run away but were nabbed and interrogated. On probing them, A1 to A5 admitted that they would steal two-wheelers and sell them to A6 Meghnadh and A7 Ganesh," he said.

Most of the time, the accused lifted vehicles parked in front of the victims' houses itself.

The police recovered 26 two-wheelers, valued at Rs 18 lakh from the accused.