Bengaluru: Man arrested for stealing 42 Royal Enfield bikes worth Rs 1.25 cr

Bengaluru: Adugodi police arrested a bike thief who stole Royal Enfield motorcycles to perform stunts before selling them in Tamil Nadu.

Police recovered 42 bikes worth Rs 1.25 crore from the 35-year-old Tamil Nadu native Raju alias Kuppaswamy, who worked several jobs, including selling clothes, automobile servicing, and truck driving.

Police said Raju became obsessed with performing stunts on Royal Enfield bikes. He would steal a bike, ride it through the city roads performing wheelies, and then sell it.

After several bike thefts, police increased patrolling. During one operation, they spotted Raju fleeing after stealing a motorcycle on Hosur Road and caught him after a brief chase.

Investigations showed Raju was linked to at least three theft cases across the city. He confessed to giving stolen bikes to relatives and friends from whom he had borrowed money. He instructed them not to register the bikes in their names, claiming he had availed bank loans to purchase them.