Visakhapatnam police nab bike robbery gang, recover 130 bikes

On Thursday, Vizag police apprehended the mastermind of bike robbery gang in Visakhapatnam. Velaga Veerayya Chowdary (37 years) has been charged with stealing two-wheelers from various cities, and towns, across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, This resident of Dibbala Gorlevanipalem, in Parawada Mandal of Visakhapatnam, worked as an assistant at a motorcycle garage. Based at Visakhapatnam, his network covered the two states. 

The police have recovered 130 bikes, five engines, 30 boxes of spare parts, number punching machine, counterfeit number plates and duplicate keys, Rs. 90,000 in cash and land documents valued at ₹5 lakh. Two more main accomplices, in bike robbery, have also been arrested in Visakhapatnam. They are Rajana Nageswara Rao (32 years), a resident of Narapaka Junction in Atchutapuram Mandal, and D Boby (37 years) from Parawada.

Chowdary is not new to the line of bike robbery. Between 2002 and 2011, he has apparently stolen 118 two-wheelers from Vijayawada, Kurnool, Rajamundry, Guntur, and Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh. As well as Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Medak, Rangareddy, and other places in Telangana. He had then shifted base to Visakhapatnam. 

According to Visakhapatnam City Police Commissioner, Rajeev Kumar Meena (IPS), “Chowdary was allegedly involved in the thefts of 47 bikes reported from Gajuwaka area, 40 from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant area, 26 from Anakapalle town and many others from Duvvada, Parawada, Atchutapuram and other places in the district.” The police have also caught 16 people who allegedly helped the mastermind to sell the stolen vehicles and spare parts. 

Chowdary would choose parking areas that were not under any CCTV surveillance. Mostly at city outskirts or rural areas. Then with a set of duplicate keys, he would release the handle lock of the two-wheeler. The culprit would ensure to use routes that do not fall under CCTV surveillance as well. He would then erase the chassis numbers and punch fake ones using a number punching machine. The original number plates would also be replaced with fake ones.