Mumbai: A 31-year-old Indian Army personnel has been arrested on charges of stealing high-end motorcycles from the Indian Navy’s residential enclave in Cuffe Parade, south Mumbai.
The incident has raised concerns about security at the enclave, which is home to several senior officers of the Western Naval Command. The soldier apparently did not have any security clearance to enter the compound.
According to the police, the accused, posted near Cuffe Parade, was arrested from his hometown in Latur after detailed surveillance. The two stolen motorcycles were recovered from his possession.
“The investigation started after a senior Navy officer reported the theft of his Harley-Davidson X400 from within the premises. Soon after that, another officer registered a complaint regarding the theft of his Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. This bike was also parked inside the compound,” a senior police official said.
The police took assistance from naval security and went through surveillance camera footage. The accused was identified and then advanced technical analysis was used to track his movements.
“We are trying to find out how he managed to enter the premises as he had no authorized access. It seems that he had learnt techniques to bypass ignition systems of luxury bikes through online tutorials and used them to steal vehicles under the cover of darkness,” the official said.
It has come to light that the soldier would take leave from duty and enter the premises between 10 pm and 10:30 pm. Using simple tools, he broke the locks, hotwired the bikes, and rode them all the way to Latur. He has been produced before a local court that remanded him to police custody till Monday.
The police are trying to ascertain whether he is connected to other similar thefts of premium motorcycles reported from the naval area in recent months. The military establishment in Mumbai is also reviewing security procedures in place at housing complexes.
