3 including a minor arrested for 6 bike thefts during lockdown

The Navi Mumbai crime branch arrested three persons including a minor involved in at least six bike thefts. The police also recovered seven bikes worth ₹4.58 lakh from them.

The police said most of the bikes were stolen during the lockdown period. The central unit of crime branch was investigating the multiple bike thefts reported in Kharghar, Nerul and NRI police stations.

“We arrested Noorul Haq Labbai and Aafaq Shaikh, both aged 19, and residents of Nerul. The third accused is a minor and has been sent to children’s remand home,” said NB Kolhatkar, senior inspector at the crime branch unit.

Officers said they were investigating the theft from Ulwe node where a 30-year-old man’s bike worth ₹70,000 was stolen in the intervening night of June 1 and 2.

Following the probe, police received a tip-off about the suspects arriving in Ulwe area. The police then laid a trap and arrested them on Tuesday.

During the investigation, police claimed that the three accused stole three bikes from Kharghar, one from NRI and another from Nerul areas, while one bike was stolen from Santacruz in Mumbai. The police have also recovered a seventh bike and are investigating to find out from where did they steal it.