Police have advised people buying second-hand two-wheelers online to run a thorough check of the documents, including those related to the date and place of registration and the owner’s name.
The police advisory is aimed at preventing prospective customers from being lured into buying stolen vehicles.
The advisory follows the arrest of a 38-year-old man named Azam Hossain in Bishnupur, on the southern fringes of the city, last week.
Azam was rounded up on charges of stealing a two-wheeler in Baruipur, also on southern fringes, officers said.
A police team that was tracking him for a month arrested him after chasing him down Diamond Harbour Road at Mahisgote Bazar in Bishnupur.
“It later emerged that Azam had stolen at least 30 two-wheelers in Kolkata and pockets of Howrah and South 24-Parganas,” said an officer. “The accused always wore a mask, a cap and dark glasses to avoid detection. We have been able to recover 20 stolen motorcycles.”
Azam reportedly admitted to the police that he would go around parts of Behala, Taratala, Parnasree and Sarsuna, all in the southwest division of Kolkata police, looking for two-wheelers parked for long.
He would then select one, break the lock and ride it away, officers said. He had also targeted parts of Tollygunge, Charu Market, Kalighat and Bhowanipore, under the south division of the city police, they said.
“After stealing a few two-wheelers, Azam would sell them through online platforms at temptingly low prices. He would upload pictures of the vehicles on the platforms. Buyers curious to know in detail about the vehicles’ original documents or those who insisted on meeting the owners would be carefully avoided,” an officer said.
“He would also dispose of some of the bikes through a chain of agents who usually targeted youths as their potential customers.”
Officers said Azam came under surveillance following a series of two-wheeler thefts in areas under the south and southwest divisions of the city police over the past couple of months.
He was finally picked up from Bishnupur in South 24-Parganas.
“To avoid falling victim of the likes of Azam, one should carefully examine all documents of a vehicle before buying it online. Chances are some stolen vehicles are on sale on online platforms,” an officer said.
