A 26-year-old graduate from Latur, who allegedly stole high-demand motorcycles to fund a lavish lifestyle, has been arrested by Pune city police. The accused, Mahadev Garad, sold the stolen two-wheelers at heavily discounted prices through Facebook Marketplace, posing as a finance company agent.
Garad, originally from Ambulga village in Chakur taluka of Latur district, was residing at Samarth Krupa Building near Kalyani School in Manjri Budruk. According to police, he primarily targeted Honda Unicorn motorcycles, which are popular among youth.
Despite a market value of nearly ₹1 lakh, Garad sold the stolen motorcycles for as little as ₹25,000. To mislead buyers, he claimed the vehicles had been repossessed by finance companies over unpaid EMIs. Many unsuspecting customers, lured by the steep discounts, made cash payments without verifying the authenticity of the deals.
Acting on a tip-off, a crime branch Unit 5 team led by PSI Abhijit Pawar and supervised by PI Sanjay Patange apprehended Garad last week. Initially, two stolen motorcycles were recovered. However, during interrogation, Garad admitted to having stolen and sold several more bikes.
Police have since recovered a total of 14 motorcycles valued at ₹8.4 lakh, including 12 Honda Unicorns and two other models. The bikes were traced across various police jurisdictions: six from Hadapsar, three each from Kalepadal and Sangvi, and two from Chikhli.
{{/usCountry}}Police have since recovered a total of 14 motorcycles valued at ₹8.4 lakh, including 12 Honda Unicorns and two other models. The bikes were traced across various police jurisdictions: six from Hadapsar, three each from Kalepadal and Sangvi, and two from Chikhli.
{{/usCountry}}Further investigation revealed that Garad also has prior cases of vehicle theft registered against him in Latur.