4 members of motorcycle theft ring arrested

Four men linked to an online motorcycle theft ring were arrested while attempting to peddle stolen bikes on a digital platform on Friday.

During a raid in Chattogram on Friday (29th September), law enforcement recovered five stolen motorcycles with a market value of TK7,50,000, Nur Ahmad, the officer-in-charge (OC) of the Detective Division of Chattogram district police, told The Business Standard.

The suspects were identified through online advertising tools and platforms they utilised to facilitate the sale of the stolen vehicles. 

The arrested individuals are Hasan Mahmud Rubel (34), Mohammad Jafrul Monir (24), Kaiyum Mahmud (20), and Tauhidul Alam Tarek (25). They hail from various areas in Mirsarai upazila of the district.

The police officer told TBS that a man named Jahid had been pilfering motorcycles from various locations and subsequently selling them across different parts of Bangladesh. 

Authorities had been pursuing him for over a month. Recently, Jahid posted an advertisement for a motorcycle sale on social media. Undercover officers posed as prospective buyers to arrest him.

An operation was conducted at the location provided by Jahid, resulting in the arrest of his four accomplices and the recovery of five stolen motorcycles, he added.

A case has been filed at the Sitakunda Police Station in connection with this incident, and efforts to apprehend Jahid are currently underway, according to the detective officer.