Villagers help police catch thief, 9 stolen bikes recovered

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Local villagers and the crime branch caught a notorious thief on October 12 and recovered nine stolen two-wheelers.

The accused has been identified as Gauskhan Pathan (35) of Padegaon village, Silod tehsil. Police received a tip that a man was trying to sell a stolen bike near a petrol pump on the Phulambri–Silod road. Plainclothes officers caught him at the spot. When asked for bike documents, he gave vague answers, raising suspicion. During questioning, Pathan confessed to stealing nine bikes from areas under Phulambri, Chikalthana, Gangapur, MIDC Waluj, Chalisgaon city, Sangamner, and Harsul police stations. He also revealed the hiding places of the stolen vehicles. Police recovered all nine bikes, valued at around Rs 6.6 lakh. The operation was led by senior officers and executed by crime branch police inspector Vijaysingh Rajput, police sub-inspector Santosh Misle, Sudhir Mote and others.