Bengaluru police have busted a two-wheeler theft racket, recovering 51 stolen vehicles and 501 fake Registration Certificates (RCs). The operation, led by the Central Crime Branch (CCB), targeted a network involved in stealing motorcycles and scooters, forging documents, and then reselling the vehicles.
Investigations revealed the gang primarily stole vehicles from areas with lower security, focusing on older models with less sophisticated anti-theft systems. Once stolen, the vehicles were taken to a workshop in Peenya where they were repainted and altered to disguise their original appearance.
Crucially, the gang didn’t rely on selling the vehicles as-is. They created entirely fake RCs, complete with fabricated details, to legitimize the stolen bikes and scooters. These fake RCs were remarkably sophisticated, making it difficult for casual inspection to reveal their fraudulent nature. The RCs were allegedly created using a desktop publishing software and contained details mirroring genuine documents.
The police arrested seven individuals allegedly involved in the racket, including the kingpin identified as Syed Asgar Ali. The arrested individuals included mechanics involved in altering the vehicles and those responsible for creating and distributing the fake RCs.
The recovered vehicles include a mix of motorcycles and scooters from various manufacturers. Police estimate the value of the recovered vehicles to be around ₹25 lakh. The fake RCs seized suggest a widespread operation capable of legitimizing a significant number of stolen two-wheelers.
The CCB is currently investigating the extent of the network and attempting to identify any potential buyers who unknowingly purchased stolen vehicles using the fake RCs. Authorities are also looking into whether the gang had connections with similar operations in other cities. The police are urging citizens to verify the authenticity of RCs before purchasing used two-wheelers.
