<p>Bengaluru: Motor vehicle thefts are driving up property crime in Bengaluru, with cases rising from 4,270 in 2021 to 6,227 in 2025.</p>.<p>Police data show cases rose to 6,165 in 2023, dipped to 5,575 in 2024, and climbed again in 2025.</p>.<p>This translates to 14 to 16 two-wheelers reported stolen daily. Police have identified black spot areas with high footfall and poor surveillance, including Jeevan Bima Nagar, Whitefield, and parts of Electronic City, where thieves operate with precision.</p>.<p>"Many owners park in unlit lanes near metro stations or malls to avoid parking fees. These serve as easy pickings," a senior police officer noted.</p>.<p>He said professional thieves can break a handle lock and hot-wire a motorcycle in under 60 seconds.</p>.<p>"The process is quick. One person acts as a lookout while the other uses a master key or a T-rod to snap the lock. They don't take the bike home immediately; they park it in a different public spot for a few hours to see if it has a GPS tracker. If no one comes for it, they ride it across the state border."</p>.Servant thefts in Bengaluru nearly double in five years despite fall in break-ins.<p>Budget two-wheelers such as Hero Splendor and Honda Activa remain primary targets due to strong demand in the second-hand spare parts market.</p>.<p>DCP Saidulu Adavath (Whitefield) said vehicle theft in the division fell by 30 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024. He said open parking spaces and poor lighting make areas near IT companies, metro and railway stations, and outskirts vulnerable.</p>.<p>Large numbers of paying guest accommodations, where 40 to 50 vehicles are parked on roadsides, add to the risk.</p>.<p>"Due to heightened security measures, the presence of CCTV cameras, and increased inside parking, we have improved vehicle recovery. For instance, last month we recovered 65 vehicles in KR Puram itself. These gangs operate interstate, mainly targeting bikes like the Splendor because of its high demand in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, where forest workers and delivery executives buy them."</p>.<p>Many stolen vehicles are dismantled in junk yards or spare parts markets in Shivajinagar and Russell Market, where parts are sold to local garages.</p>.<p>Vehicles are often moved to Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu within hours, reducing recovery rates. "Technological intervention, such as GPS trackers and disc locks, is the need of the hour," the officer noted.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Motor vehicle thefts are driving up property crime in Bengaluru, with cases rising from 4,270 in 2021 to 6,227 in 2025.</p>.<p>Police data show cases rose to 6,165 in 2023, dipped to 5,575 in 2024, and climbed again in 2025.</p>.<p>This translates to 14 to 16 two-wheelers reported stolen daily. Police have identified black spot areas with high footfall and poor surveillance, including Jeevan Bima Nagar, Whitefield, and parts of Electronic City, where thieves operate with precision.</p>.<p>"Many owners park in unlit lanes near metro stations or malls to avoid parking fees. These serve as easy pickings," a senior police officer noted.</p>.<p>He said professional thieves can break a handle lock and hot-wire a motorcycle in under 60 seconds.</p>.<p>"The process is quick. One person acts as a lookout while the other uses a master key or a T-rod to snap the lock. They don't take the bike home immediately; they park it in a different public spot for a few hours to see if it has a GPS tracker. If no one comes for it, they ride it across the state border."</p>.Servant thefts in Bengaluru nearly double in five years despite fall in break-ins.<p>Budget two-wheelers such as Hero Splendor and Honda Activa remain primary targets due to strong demand in the second-hand spare parts market.</p>.<p>DCP Saidulu Adavath (Whitefield) said vehicle theft in the division fell by 30 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024. He said open parking spaces and poor lighting make areas near IT companies, metro and railway stations, and outskirts vulnerable.</p>.<p>Large numbers of paying guest accommodations, where 40 to 50 vehicles are parked on roadsides, add to the risk.</p>.<p>"Due to heightened security measures, the presence of CCTV cameras, and increased inside parking, we have improved vehicle recovery. For instance, last month we recovered 65 vehicles in KR Puram itself. These gangs operate interstate, mainly targeting bikes like the Splendor because of its high demand in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, where forest workers and delivery executives buy them."</p>.<p>Many stolen vehicles are dismantled in junk yards or spare parts markets in Shivajinagar and Russell Market, where parts are sold to local garages.</p>.<p>Vehicles are often moved to Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu within hours, reducing recovery rates. "Technological intervention, such as GPS trackers and disc locks, is the need of the hour," the officer noted.</p>