Pune: The Chandan Nagar police have successfully apprehended a 22-year-old vehicle thief who had been operating in the Vishrantwadi, Chandan Nagar, and Hadapsar areas. The accused, identified as Tukaram Ishwar Avhale, was working as a waiter in a local hotel, concealing his criminal activities.
The arrest came after a complaint filed by Baliram Sanjay Belge, a resident of Kharad, who reported the theft of his two-wheeler (MH 26 AZ 0152) on January 24 around 6 a.m. The police, led by constables Kodre and Jadhav, received information about the thief’s presence near a Shell petrol pump and swiftly laid a trap to detain Avhale.
Upon rigorous questioning, the accused confessed to stealing the bike and further revealed his involvement in a string of thefts over the past three to four months. The investigation team, comprising Senior Police Inspector Manisha Patil, Police Sub-Inspector Goraksh Ghodke, and Assistant Police Inspector Prashant Mane, among others, uncovered six hidden bikes, bringing the total seized to seven.
The stolen bikes, collectively valued at Rs 1 lakh 95 thousand, were traced to Vishrantwadi, Chandan Nagar, and Hadapsar police station limits. Avhale, who resides at the Jogeshwari Hotel in Kharadi and hails from Latur, admitted to his involvement in two cases at Chandan Nagar Police Station and one at Vishrantwadi Police Station.
The successful operation was conducted under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Ritesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Additional Charge) Ramnath Pokle, Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 4 Vijay Kumar Magar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Patil. The dedicated efforts of the police team, including Police Sub-Inspector Arvind Kumare and Constables Avinash Sankpal, Sachin Randive, and others, led to the dismantling of the two-wheeler theft ring in the area.
