The Cuffe Parade Police have arrested a serving Army personnel for allegedly stealing high-end motorcycles from within a naval residential complex. The incident has raised serious concerns about the security protocols of the restricted and sensitive military premises.
According to police officials, the 31-year-old accused, who was posted in the Cuffe Parade area, was arrested from his hometown Latur on October 21 after an intensive investigation following a formal complaint by a senior naval officer.
The case came to light when a senior naval officer reported that his Harley-Davidson X400 motorcycle had gone missing from the official quarters inside the naval base. The officer expressed shock over the incident, stating that his residence was located in a “highly restricted and sensitive area” where entry is strictly monitored.
During the investigation, police linked the case to another complaint filed by a different senior naval officer, whose Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 CC had also been stolen from the same secure campus. The theft of two luxury motorcycles from such a protected zone triggered a major security alert.
Despite the strict access restrictions, the Cuffe Parade Police used advanced technical evidence to trace the accused to Latur. Upon his arrest, officers recovered both the stolen bikes — the Harley-Davidson X400 and the Interceptor 650 — from his residence.
Investigators were stunned to discover the accused’s unusual method. Reports suggest he specifically targeted the restricted naval officers’ quarters, where he had no authorised access. Using information and tutorials found on social media, he learned how to start high-end motorcycles without keys and used that knowledge to commit the thefts.
A police official revealed that the accused would deliberately take leave from duty and operate under the cover of darkness, between 10 and 10:30 pm. He would first break the single lock of the bike, then bypass the ignition wiring to start it and drive it all the way to Latur.
The accused was produced before a local court and has been remanded to police custody till Monday. Police sources also indicated that several other expensive motorcycles have gone missing from the naval base in recent months, and investigators are now probing whether the arrested soldier is involved in those cases as well.