Pune: Engineer-Turned-Bike Thief And Two Accomplices Arrested; 53 Stolen Bikes Worth ₹26 Lakh Seized By Pimpri Chinchwad Police
Pune: Engineer-Turned-Bike Thief And Two Accomplices Arrested; 53 Stolen Bikes Worth ₹26 Lakh Seized By Pimpri Chinchwad Police
Pimpri: In a major crackdown on vehicle theft, Pimpri police arrested three individuals, including a mechanical engineer, for stealing motorcycles. A total of 53 stolen bikes worth ₹26.10 lakh were recovered, and 35 theft cases across Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Kolhapur, and Satara were solved.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Santosh Maruti Shinde (32, Wakad), Dheeraj Pradeep Sawant (23, Narhegaon, Pune), and Balaji alias Tatyasaheb Dada Bhosale (24, Shahupuri, Satara). Among them, Dheeraj is a qualified mechanical engineer.
#Pune: Engineer-Turned-#BikeThief And Two Accomplices Arrested; 53 Stolen Bikes Worth ₹26 Lakh Seized By #Pimpri Chinchwad Police..https://t.co/Nmeo1igkR3 pic.twitter.com/XGeJ6xQVYs
— Pune Pulse (@pulse_pune) March 13, 2025
Crackdown and Investigation
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Swapna Gore, the Pimpri police initiated an investigation into a series of vehicle thefts in the region. Officers analyzed CCTV footage from 150 locations, which led to the identification of Santosh. Acting on a tip-off that he would be near the Pimpri Metro Station, police laid a trap and arrested him.
During interrogation, Santosh confessed to stealing multiple motorcycles along with his accomplices, Dheeraj and Balaji. Following their arrest, police recovered 53 stolen bikes valued at ₹26.10 lakh.
Cases Solved Across Multiple Cities
This operation helped solve 35 cases, including:
- 25 cases in Pimpri-Chinchwad
- 4 cases in Pune
- 4 cases in Satara
- 2 cases in Kolhapur
The arrests and recoveries were made under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Ashok Kadlag, with Crime Inspector Dhananjay Kapre, Assistant Inspector Digambar Atigre, and a special team leading the investigation.
