B’luru: 7 graduates steal motorbikes by following YouTube videos; arrested

Bengaluru: Police said they have arrested seven men who allegedly stole motorbikes in the city by learning about methods of theft from YouTube videos.

The accused have been identified as Andhra Pradesh natives Hemanth (27), Vijaya Bandi (25), Banumurti (25), Gunashekhar Reddy (30), Purushottam Naidu 930), Karthik Kumar (27), and Kiran Kumar (22). About 30 bikes, including 12 Bullet bikes, valued at Rs 68 lakhs were seized from their possession, police said.

All the accused were graduates, with some among them being engineers and MBA degree holders, police said.

Police said living a luxurious and easy life was the motive behind the crimes. Despite all of the accused being employed, their salaries were not enough to support their expensive lifestyle.

The accused chose theft as an easy way out and learned all about theft from watching YouTube videos. As advised in the videos, they stole the bikes parked in front of houses on deserted roads, police said.

The accused began motorbike theft around 3 years back, police informed. After stealing a bike they would take it on a jolly ride and then sell it at a very low price in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh.

Police further said that theft cases are pending against the accused at several police stations in the city, including KR Puram, Banashankari, Jayanagar, Kumaraswamy Layout, Mico Layout, Begur, among others