The Sudduguntepalya police on Saturday arrested a 48-year-old habitual offender and recovered 54 bicycles worth ₹6 lakh from him.
The accused identified as Balaraj is a habitual offender involved in several housebreak thefts earlier and had recently taken to stealing only bicycles.
Srinath Mahadev Joshi, DCP, southeast division, said Balraj was arrested based on a complaint of cycle theft registered on May 9. The complainant’s son had parked his bicycle inside the compound and left for home when the accused escaped with it.
Based on the complaint, a team led by Inspector Maruthi G. Nayak, verified CCTV footage and arrested him.
The police recovered 54 bicycles stolen by him, some priced at ₹60,000, and sold to his contacts for ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, Mr. Joshi said.
With his arrest, the police so far solved 10 bicycle theft cases reported in Madiwala and Sudduguntepalya police station limits. However the police are further investigating to trace the owners of the bicycles based on the complaints registered in and around the city .
