Kamakshipalya police have swooped down on a five-member gang that stole vehicles and recovered tractors, vans and bikes worth Rs 90 lakh.
While Anand, Yakoob Khan, Lingappa, K Lokesh and V Lokesh were arrested on December 17, another member of the gang Boregowda was picked up on November 11. From him, police seized 12 tractors and a Maruti Omni worth Rs 55 lakh. The gang stole the vehicles from Peenya, Byadarahalli and Jnanabarathi.
The gang was absconding, and police formed a special team to nab the fivesome after they stole a tractor from a person in Hoysala Nagar in Sunkadakatte. Arresting them, police seized 14 tractors, four Maruti Omni vans, and seven bikes all worth Rs 90.9 lakh.
Besides Peenya, Byadarahalli and Jnanabarathi, the vehicles were also stolen from Madanayakanahalli, Bidadi, Kunigal and other police station limits. In total, police seized 26 tractors, five vans and eight bikes worth Rs 1.46 crore.
Mandya natives Anand and Lokesh changed the engine and chassis number of the stolen vehicles and secured fake sales certificates from Mandya’s Regional Transport Office (RTO). They secured the fake documents from the Electronics City RTO office.
An investigating officer said they sold the transformed vehicles to farmers in Mandya, Mysuru and Tumakuru. Police are investigating further to find out the RTO officers involved in the fraud. The vehicles were stolen while parked on the roadside.