Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pimpri Chinchwad, 11th March 2026: In a significant crackdown on rising vehicle thefts, the Crime Branch (Unit 2) of the Pimpri Chinchwad Police has arrested a serial offender and his accomplice, recovering 40 stolen motorcycles worth тВ╣21.66 lakh. This major operation has successfully solved 34 registered bike theft cases across various jurisdictions in Pune and nearby districts.
The Arrest and Seizure
Acting on a tip-off and analyzing over 70 CCTV camera footages, the police team led by Senior Police Inspector Arvind Pawar arrested the prime suspect, Ashpak Ishak Pathan (32), a resident of Pathardi, Ahilyanagar. Pathan was initially detained from the Balewadi area on March 7, 2026, in connection with a bike theft reported at the Bavdhan Police Station.
During interrogation, Pathan confessed to stealing multiple motorcycles. Following his leads, the police also arrested Mukund Udhavrao Hardas (25), a resident of Partur, Jalna, who was responsible for purchasing the stolen vehicles.
Modus Operandi
Investigations revealed that Ashpak Pathan specifically targeted тАШHero SplendorтАЩ motorcycles due to their high demand. He would steal the bikes from public places and store them in a secluded location. To sell the stolen vehicles, he would deceive buyers by claiming the motorcycles were repossessed by finance companies from owners who failed to pay their EMIs. This allowed him to sell the bikes at lower prices without raising suspicion.
Pathan is a repeat offender with over 10 prior cases of vehicle theft registered against him.
Impact of the Operation
With these arrests, the police have recovered 40 motorcycles and solved 34 cases across various police stations, including:
Pimpri Chinchwad & Pune City: Bavdhan, Dehu Road, Chikhali, Nigdi, Hinjewadi, Chandan Nagar, Kharadi, Loni Kalbhor, Wagholi, Shikrapur, Kalepadal, Ranjangaon, and Baner.
Other Districts: Ambad (Jalna) and Daithana (Parbhani).
The Police Team
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sarang Avhad, DCP (Crime) Shivaji Pawar and ACP (Crime 1) Dr. Vishal Hire.
The team included Senior PI Arvind Pawar, API Mayuresh Salunkhe, PSI Devanand Kharat, Pravin Dale, Nitin Dhorje, and personnel Tushar Shete, Vikram Kudal, Kunal Shinde, Mohammad Ghaus Nadaf, Vikrant Chavan, Ali Shaikh, Deepak Shirshat, Krishna Shitole, Prashant Said, Sukhdev Gawande, Amar Rane, Dinkar Ade, Ravi Pawar, Dhananjay Jadhav and Ajit Rupnawar.
The post Pimpri Chinchwad Police Bust Major Bike Theft Racket; 40 Motorcycles Seized, 34 Cases Solved appeared first on Punekar News.
