Pune: A 23-year-old man resorted to vehicle theft after losing a significant amount of money in an online game. Abhay Suresh Kharde, who learned how to steal vehicles by watching YouTube, was arrested by Chakan police, who recovered 18 stolen motorcycles worth ₹26 lakh from him.

The accused reportedly used the money from the theft to continue playing online games, only to lose it again.

Abhay Kharde, a resident of Sangamner in Ahmednagar, had developed an addiction to online gaming, which led to his financial downfall. In an attempt to recover his lost money, Kharde turned to crime.

He specifically targeted Bullet motorcycles due to their high resale value, and he managed to steal 18 two-wheelers from Chakan and surrounding areas.

The police were on high alert after noticing a rise in Bullet motorcycle thefts in the Chakan area. To crack the case, they reviewed over 150 CCTV footages, which eventually led them to Kharde's residence in Sangamner.

Upon interrogation, Kharde confessed to stealing the vehicles. The police arrested his accomplices who were involved in selling the stolen bikes in rural areas.

The recovered vehicles include 11 Bullet bikes, 6 Splendors, and 1 Yamaha bike, all valued at ₹26 lakh. The police seized the vehicles from the accused, who had learned the art of vehicle theft by watching YouTube tutorials.

The police also apprehended four other individuals who assisted Kharde in selling the stolen motorcycles. The arrested accomplices were identified as Ravindra Nivrutti Gawhane (23), Shubham Balasaheb Kale (24), Yash Nandkishore Thutte (22), and Prem Bhaidas Devare (20).

These individuals were involved in selling the stolen vehicles in Ahmednagar and Nashik districts.