Pune: “Bullet Raja” Arrested for Stealing Royal Enfield Motorcycles; Desperate Attempt to Recover Money Lost in Online Gaming
Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Chakan, 16th October 2024: An addiction to a game has led a young man to become a serial vehicle thief, specifically targeting Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles. The ‘Bullet Raja’ used to play an online game that featured betting and invested lakhs of rupees, all of which he lost. To recover his losses and continue playing, he began watching YouTube videos to learn how to steal bikes and subsequently started stealing motorcycles for profit.
The Pimpri Chinchwad Police arrested him and recovered 18 bikes, some of which were expensive, totalling ₹26 lakhs. The accused is a graduate with a BA degree, and several individuals involved in selling the stolen bikes have also been arrested alongside him.
The action was taken by the Detection Branch (DB) of Chakan Police Station. They arrested Abhay Suresh Kharde, 23, a resident of Ahmednagar, as well as those who purchased motorcycles from him, including Ravindra Gavhane, 23, and Shubham Kale, 24, both residents of Ahmednagar, and Yash Thutate, 22, and Prem Deware, 20, both residents of Nashik.
According to information provided by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 3) Dr Shivaji Pawar, numerous vehicle thefts, particularly involving Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles, have been reported in Zone 3 of the Pimpri Chinchwad Police. The DB of Chakan Police Station initiated an investigation, scrutinizing 100 to 150 CCTV footage. The DB discovered that the thief consistently stole bikes and travelled to Sangamner in Ahmednagar District. Led by Assistant Police Inspector Prassana Jarhad, the team gathered information about the thief’s whereabouts, set a trap, and arrested Kharde. Following this, individuals involved in selling the stolen bikes were also apprehended.
In this operation, 11 Royal Enfield Bullets, 1 Yamaha R15, and 6 Hero Splendors—totalling 18 bikes worth ₹26,00,000—were seized from him. The investigation revealed that the accused, Kharde, was addicted to a betting game called Aviator, where he lost lakhs of rupees. To recover his losses, he turned to YouTube to learn how to steal bikes. Out of the 18 bikes, 14 cases were registered at Chakan Police Station and 2 at Manchar Police Station, and investigations are ongoing regarding the two Splendor bikes he stole.
This operation was conducted under the guidance of Pimpri Chinchwad Commissioner of Police Vinoy Kumar Choubey, Joint Commissioner of Police Shashikant Mahavarkar, Additional Commissioner of Police Vasant Pardeshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Shivaji Pawar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Chakan Division) Rajendra Singh Gaur. The team, led by Senior Police Inspector Pramod Wagh and Police Inspector (Crime) Natha Gharge, included Assistant Police Inspectors Prasanna Jarhad and Ganpat Dhaygude, as well as Police Constables Hanumant Kamble, Bharoba Yadav, Sunil Shinde, Shivaji Chavan, Raju Jadhav, Rushi Kumar Jhankar, Sudarshan Barde, Sunil Bhagwat, Mahesh Koli, Mahadev Bikkad, Revnath Khedkar, Sharad Khairnar, Nitin Gunjal, Kiran Ghodake, and Madhuri Kachate.
Kharde’s Theft Linked to Gaming Addiction
Aviator is an engaging online crash game where players aim to earn cash by virtually flying an aeroplane. The longer the plane remains in the air, the higher the potential profit multiplier can reach, going up to 200x, which encourages players to place larger bets. The game is exciting and addictive due to its fast-paced nature, the ability for players to chat with each other, and the opportunity for substantial wins, making it easy to lose track of how much money is being spent. Players can place bets ranging from ₹10 to ₹10,000, but since success relies on luck and timing, many players may end up losing their bets. This can lead to significant financial losses if they’re not cautious. Similarly, in this case, the accused Kharde, who was addicted to gaming, could not set it aside and resorted to stealing.
