Pune: A timely tip-off that a 15-year-old boy was trying to start a two-wheeler that did not have a number plate helped the Kondhwa police in detaining him, establishing the identity of his aides and recovering nine stolen vehicles worth Rs 2.7 lakh. Later, a police team arrested a 19-year-old Akash Dhanwat from Lohegaon and detained another 12-year-old minor boy after investigations confirmed their involvement in stealing a series of vehicles for the purpose of joy rides and later abandoning them in secluded places.
“The trio started stealing vehicles from Kondhwa, Vimannagar, and Warje Malwadi by breaking the handle lock or pulling the ignition wire to start the two-wheelers. Later, they abandoned the vehicles after the bike ran out of fuel,” said assistant inspector Lekhaji Shinde on Saturday. The trio ran out of luck after a police team detained one of the minors while he was trying to kick-start a stolen vehicle in a lane near Dharmavat fuel station between Khadi Machine Chowk and Undri Chowk on August 7.
Shinde said the minor suspect, during questioning, revealed the names of his accomplices, including another minor boy, following which they were arrested and detained after investigations had established their involvement in stealing vehicles. “The minor boys are first-time offenders, while their 19-year-old friend is a criminal on the police record. The trio are school dropouts,” he said, adding that the vehicles would be returned to the owners.
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