10-year hunt ends: Bengaluru police arrest serial bike thief

The Halasuru Gate police have arrested a man 10 years after he went into hiding following multiple theft cases.

The deceased has been identified as Asif (32), a resident of Tippu Nagar, Bengaluru,

Asif, who is married and has two girlfriends, was involved in bike thefts, robberies, and attempted murders to impress his girlfriends. He would steal bikes, take his girlfriends on joyrides, drop them off, and abandon the stolen bikes. He has a history of theft cases and had previously served jail time but absconded after securing bail, failing to appear in court.

In 2014, a theft case was registered against Asif at the Halasuru Gate police station. The police had been searching for him since then, and a court had issued an arrest warrant. Recently, police received information that Asif was driving an auto-rickshaw near the Majestic area. Acting on the tip-off, they launched an operation and arrested him, sending him back to jail.

Asif was found to have cases registered against him in KR Market, Jayanagar, Upparpet, Kalasipalya, and Halasuru Gate police stations. His arrest has helped solve six pending cases, according to the police.

After committing the theft in 2014, Asif had left Tippu Nagar and moved to another area, where he had been leading a low-profile life as an auto-rickshaw driver. The police have confirmed his role in these cases during their investigation.