Pushparaj, 19, a Chennai Metro Rail contractual laborer, purchased a new Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS. He got it fitted with a GPS tracker for an additional sum of Rs.1,500. However, no sooner had he purchased this bike than he realized that it had been stolen. The bike which was parked outside his home was noted missing at 4 am on Sunday morning.
The GPS tracker revealed the location of the stolen motorcycle. Pushparaj called up his friends to intimate them about the stolen bike. Soon his friends arrived on motorcycles. They found that the stolen bike was too far to catch up. So they decided to use help.
The local police who were on their rounds were informed. E Rajeshwari of Secretariat Colony Police Station deputed sub inspector Shanmugasundaram and constable Prabhu to accompany Pushparaj in an autorickshaw to trace the Pulsar NS 200. According to the GPS was shown near Thiruvanmiyur and was going towards East Coast Road.
As the thief had stopped near Koovathur bus stand; the following trio finally caught up. On locating the bike and the thief, police got out of the auto rickshaw so as not to draw the attention of the thief. Pushparaj then went up to the thief and caught him by the collar. He was in for a shock when he realized that the thief was actually his friend Megasurya, with whom he had studied till class IX.
After this police swooped in and have arrested Megasurya and Vinoth Kumar, who was riding pillion. The two 19 year thieves are noted offenders, both in chain snatching and in way laying incidents. They are now in police custody.
Chennai has been seeing rising incidents of bike thefts. Earlier this month, 9 bikes were stolen from a parking lot at the Tamharam Railway Station in a single day. Bikers have also complained of spare parts and petrol going missing from their bikes. Also during January 4 to 31, 6 two wheelers belonging to the Staff of the Directorate of Public Health, were stolen from the campus during office hours. Complaint has been lodged with the Teynampet Police Station.
