Meghalaya Police bust bike lifters gang; recovers 15 bikes

Meghalaya Police on September 20 busted a two-wheeler lifers gang and recovered 15 motorcycles and 1 scooter from Sohra (Cherrapunji), East Khasi Hills District of the state.

The police have apprehended three persons in this regard.

According to East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (City) Vivek Syiem, the arrest was made possible when Sohra police were investigating a case about a stolen pulsar bike from Laitsohpliah on September 9.

"On September 9, one Pulsar bike was stolen from Laitsohpliah village, Sohra, and a case was registered. Following this, a tip-off was received that the stolen bike was spotted near Mairang," informed SP Syiem.

"A total of 15 motorcycles and 1 scooter have been recovered so far, while three people have been arrested so far. The investigation is on to ascertain the involvement of others in the several bike theft cases," Syiem added.
 
Accordingly, a police unit from Sohra PS headed to Mairang and, with Mairang PS's help, intercepted the motorcycle. After laying a trap, two people were taken into custody in Mairang.

They revealed that most of the two-wheelers were stolen from Shillong by one mastermind from Nongsohma in the Eastern West Khasi Hills district, Syiem said.

On September 18, the police team from Sohra again left for Nongsohma village led by one of the accused and arrested the main accused at Nongsohma village, who admitted to being involved in most of the two-wheeler theft cases in and around Shillong along with the others.

Following his confession, the police team recovered one scooter and two bikes the same night.

In the morning of September 19, the same team from Sohra PS led by the Officer-in-Charge, Insp. Pynhunlang M Syiem, along with Insp. Phrianglin Syiem, I/C Nongthymmai BH, SI Stephen Nongspung, IO of the case, and a Special Cell team from Shillong, recovered another 11 stolen motorcycles from Nongsohma village.
 
According to the report in the Nongkrem area within Nongsohma village, a garage where stolen bikes were modified and registration number plates were replaced with fake ones was also discovered.