Cops arrest 3 of Bhiwandi motorcycle robbery gang

The police claim to have busted a major racket in Bhiwandi after three members of an alleged gang of two-wheeler thieves were arrested on Tuesday, with the anti-chain snatching cell of the Thane police recovering 11 stolen bikes.

The trio has been identified as Bhiwandi residents Aadil Ansari (21), Abdul Kayum Ansari (24) and Javed Khan (28). According to the police, the accused are involved in at least seven cases of house breaking in Bhiwandi and Thane.

It all started with the anti-chain snatching cell looking for chain snatchers who had recently robbed chains in Bhiwandi. Acting on a tip-off, the team laid a trap and arrested the accused who then confessed to other crimes, including house breaking and bike robbery.

An officer from Narpoli police station who has custody of the three accused said, “The trio roamed around crowded areas in Thane and Mumbai on bikes and after identifying bikes with unlocked handles, towed them manually. They changed the registration plates and to make a quick buck, mortgaged them with moneylenders. Also, they would make duplicate keys from a key maker to rob particular bikes. We are searching for that key maker.”

According to the police, the accused had been operating for at least a year. They have been remanded in police custody till Monday by a sessions court. Officials have recovered Rs 4 lakh from them.