Ankola police crack motorbike theft case, arrest notorious thief

Ankola: The Ankola police have arrested a man for allegedly stealing bikes in several districts of the state.

The accused has been identified as Arafat Attar (30) a native of Haveri. Police said he was a smooth talker and stole bikes by convincing the owners to give their motorbikes for a test drive and fled from the spot.

Last month, he had lured a youth from Manjuguni in the taluk in front of a bike showroom in Baleguli and snatched his KTM bike. He took the bike for a test ride saying that he wanted to buy a similar bike and disappeared with it. The youth lodged a complaint at the Ankola police station after the motorbike was not returned. From the visuals captured in the CCTV footage, police identified and arrested the accused.

Police said the accused had been living in Belthangadi and Upponi in Honnavar and worked as a masonry worker. To fulfill his lavish lifestyle he resorted to bike and mobile theft, police said.

Recently, the Duke bike stolen from Ankola which was found in Chikkamagaluru was his handiwork. The accused had stolen a bike of a tourist from Andhra Pradesh in Chikkamagaluru and left the stolen Duke bike there. The Andhra registered bike has now been confiscated, police added.

It has come to light that the accused has committed thefts in many parts f the state including Chitradurga, Hubballi, Ankola, Koppal, Kakati, and Chikkamagaluru.