Live-in couple arrested for stealing bikes

A live-in couple from Pune, who stole motorbikes in Raigad to pay their housing loan, has been arrested by the Local Crime Branch.

NAVI MUMBAI: The Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Raigad has nabbed a live-in couple from Pune who came to Raigad over the weekends to steal motorbikes in order to pay their housing loan.

Live-in couple arrested for stealing bikes

The arrested accused have been identified as Vikram Ram Kalekar, 36, a resident of Kharadi in Pune but originally from Ladvali village in Rasayani and his live-in partner Anuradha Vivek Dandavate, 31. According to police, Kalekar had divorced his wife around two years ago while Dandavate had divorced her husband around four years back.

Kalekar, who was working at a private firm in Pune and drawing a salary of ₹40,000, had met Dandavate, who stayed in his locality, around two years ago and fell in love. The duo then eventually started staying together. While being married, Kalekar had purchased a flat and took a housing loan. After getting into live-in relationship, he was not able to manage the expenses and needed extra money to pay off the loans. “The duo then decided to steal motor bikes which has its keys on the bike and then sell it off. The accused asked the girl too to accompany her so that the police doesn’t stop them assuming to be husband and wife. They targeted bikes in the Raigad district as he was accustomed to the place and was away from his place of residence,” police inspector Dayanand Gawade from LCB said.

In the investigations it was found that they had stolen around 10 bikes in the span of six months from Pen, Rasayani and Khandeshwar. Of the 10 bikes, eight were recovered by the police. The accused are currently in the police custody of Pen police. They have been arrested under the sections 379 (theft) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC