Bike theft racket busted in Jajpur

Jajpur: Badachana police busted a bike lifters’ gang racket and arrested two gang members besides seizing seven motorcycles from them in Jajpur district on Saturday. The accused have been identified as Sagar Kumar Jena of Dhanmandal village and Bulu Malik of Bhuluka village, police said. Two other members of the gang are absconding.

The gang remained active in Badachana, Chandikhole, Balichandrapur and its periphery for the past couple of months and looted a number of bikes. After several incidents of bike theft were reported to Badachana police, a police team chalked out a plan and acting swiftly, recovered a stolen motorcycle from Khaira area two days ago.

Police, during patrolling, intercepted Sagar Kumar Jena, who was riding a bike on Thursday night. When asked to show documents of the vehicle, he could not furnish the same. He was taken into custody. On being interrogated, he revealed about the bike lifters’ racket. He said that the gang used to steal bikes from different places at Badachana, Chandikhole, Balichandrapur and its periphery.

Based on his revelation, police arrested Bulu Malik, another accused of the gang, from Bhuluka village, on Friday. Police then seized at least seven stolen motorcycles from their possession. On the modus operandi, police said Sagar is the mastermind of the gang who used master keys to unlock the parked two-wheelers. While Sagar used to unlock the bikes, other members used to drive away with the vehicle. One of the members kept a watch on the movement of the owner.

After stealing the bikes from different locations, they used to sell the stolen motorcycles in remote areas of the district and beyond. “The gang has four members. We have arrested two members of the gang, including the kingpin. Rest will be arrested soon,” said S K Patra, IIC of Badachana police station. Those arrested were forwarded to the court on Saturday and remanded in judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected, police said.