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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

How motorcycle thieves go about it

The most common modus operandi is the expert use of a mid-sized screwdriver and cutting pliers, writes Petlee Peter

Loss of vehicle is a two-wheeler rider’s worst nightmare, more painful than rising petrol prices and maddening traffic bottlenecks.

Statistics provided by the city police show that last year 276 cases of two-wheeler theft were reported, of which 206 were detected. Till July 31 this year, out of the 114 reported, 102 have been detected. But how do the thieves break the lock?

The most common modus operandi of motorcycle theft isthe expert use of a mid-sized screwdriver and cutting pliers and the time taken is just 10 seconds.

A 32-year-old man from Nungambakkam involved in a number of motorcycle thefts in the past, on condition of anonymity, says that the screwdriver is slid into the front fork area and the handlebar lock pin slipped out of position with a strong push. “Simultaneously, the three ignition wires under the lock set are snapped using cutting pliers, which helps kick-start the vehicle without the key,” he informs.

For a particular motorcycle model, a customised hacksaw blade is inserted into the keyhole and the entire locking mechanism is pulled out. In case the owners leave the handlebar unlocked, the theft becomes easier.

“About three months ago I had parked my motorcycle outside my home on Lake View Road, West Mambalam. I had gone to my first-floor home to pick up my mobile phone and returned in five minutes, only to find the bike missing,” recalls Yozer Basha, who lodged a complaint with the police. His motorcycle is yet to be traced.

According to City Police Commissioner R.Sekar: “Vehicle checks have been intensified at night and at key points in the city during daytime. Documents of the vehicles are also being thoroughly checked to establish the legality of the owner.” He advised the owners to secure their vehicles properly in residential and public places. He also recommended the use of burglar alarms for two-wheelers.

Like in cars, burglar alarms could be installed on two-wheelers. A number of Chinese and Indian-made models are available in the market, with their prices ranging from Rs.450 to Rs.1,500. The most common among them is the siren alarm that starts ringing when the bike is fiddled with. A new entry is the remote-controlled model, where the remote in your hand starts vibrating if you are in a 100-200 metre vicinity of the bike when the lock is tampered with.

On what happens to the motorcycles after they are stolen? Police sources say that in some cases the vehicles are taken out of the city and sold at throwaway prices or even dismantled and the parts sold. There have also been cases in which the thieves have used the bike for a while, particularly till the fuel in it is exhausted, and left it at parking lots.

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