Balasore: The police in Odisha’s Balasore district have successfully dismantled a two-wheeler theft racket, leading to the recovery of 22 stolen vehicles. The operation resulted in the arrest of three individuals, including one who claimed to be the owner of a web channel.
The Balasore Superintendent of Police, Sagarika Nath, disclosed that the police received reliable information, prompting a raid on a residence in Badapokhari village under the Oupada police station’s jurisdiction. The search uncovered 13 motorcycles, and the house’s occupant, who identified himself as a web channel owner, failed to produce any legitimate documents for the bikes.
Upon further investigation, the police discovered that the motorcycles had fake registration numbers, leading to the seizure of the vehicles and the detainment of the house-owner on suspicion of involvement in bike theft.
During questioning, the detained individual confessed to his involvement in a bike-lifting racket, implicating two others. Acting on this information, the police conducted a subsequent raid on a residence in Sahadevkhunta under the Balasore Town police station. This operation resulted in the recovery of nine more stolen vehicles and the apprehension of the two accomplices.
The total haul included 22 two-wheelers, comprising 16 scooters and six motorcycles. Additionally, the police confiscated Rs 56,000 in cash from the possession of the suspects. The investigation revealed that the trio had stolen bikes from various locations, including hospitals, marketplaces, and cinema halls in Cuttack, Baripada, Keonjhar, and Balasore.
The individual claiming to be a journalist had a dubious record, with 11 pending cases related to land fraud and three other criminal cases at different police stations.
