Mumbai: 27-year-old jobless youth turns to crime, steals bikes

(Top) Police team with the two-wheelers and the accused in face cover

The previous lockdown and restrictions caused quite a few job losses and this seems to have forced some to take up crime. A 27-year-old graduate was arrested by the Mulund police on Wednesday for stealing bikes from the city, and selling them at cheap rates. In the investigation, the police found that the accused had lost his job during the last lockdown, and because he could not find another job, he took to stealing two-wheelers.

The accused, identified as Lavesh Ankush Vayde, a resident of Mulund West, does not have any prior criminal record. The police said Vayde used to work at a super market before he lost his job. The Mulund police managed to recover 20 of the stolen two-wheelers worth Rs 8 lakh. They say he has stolen more.

‘Could not find a job'

Speaking to mid-day, Assistant Inspector Sachin Kadam of Mulund police station said, "During the investigation, we thought it was a professional behind the robbery. But when we checked CCTV footage of the area, we later found that it was Vayde, who doesn't have any previous criminal record. During questioning, Vayde revealed that he had tried very hard to get another job but simply could not find one. He had been unemployed for the past 7-8 months and then stole a bike from Mulund."

The accused, Lavesh Vayde

Vayde's modus operandi was to wheel the stolen bike to a keymaker and get a duplicate key made. The accused also used to change the number plates of the bike. Later, he sold the two-wheelers to his relatives and others for around Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000 each.

"On Wednesday, we laid a trap when he tried to steal a bike at Kalyan, and arrested him. During interrogation, he confessed to stealing bikes and we recovered some from the people whom he had sold them to. Vayde also has FIRs at Navghar, Kolshewadi, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Naupada and other police stations against him for stealing bikes," API Kadam further said.

"We have recovered around 20 two-wheelers worth Rs 8 lakh," Senior Inspector Vijayalakshmi Hiremath of Mulund police station said.

Engineer held for crime

Last month, the Kurar police had arrested a 28-year-old civil engineer, Sachin Salunkhe, for selling ganja in the area. The Kurar police also recovered 63 kg ganja from his godown. Police said Salunkhe had lost his job and took to selling ganja. The police have recovered around Rs 9.45 lakh from the accused.