The Bengaluru police have arrested an inter-state thief who stole over 50 two-wheelers for his lady love.
Deccan Chronicle reported that the Bommanahalli police arrested P Manohar on Saturday and recovered 51 bikes worth Rs 25 lakh from him. 23-year-old Manohar is a native of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh who has been living in Bengaluru.
The police told the paper that Manohar took to stealing the bikes because he wanted his girlfriend to lead a luxurious life.
According to the report, the police also said that Manohar was wanted in 24 cases of bike theft in Bengaluru alone and that with his arrest they have solved 35 cases of bike theft in different states.
In a different version of the same story, The Times of India reported that Manohar was a tailor by profession and he became a bike thief in order to fund his ailing girlfriend's treatment.
Manohar alias Manu worked at a garment factory and had fallen in love with his co-worker.
The TOI report states that Manu told the police that he needed the money to bring his girlfriend, who was suffering from jaundice and other ailments, to Bengaluru from Andhra for her treatment.
"Manohar and his colleague wanted to marry, but the girl fell ill and returned to Andhra Pradesh in January this year. She asked Manohar to rent a house in Bengaluru and make arrangements for her treatment. The girl was suffering from jaundice and hormone-related issues. A doctor told him the treatment would cost at least Rs 5 lakh," the police told TOI.
His girlfriend, however, had no clue that Manohar had taken to stealing two-wheelers and then selling them.
Cops laid a trap for Manu by putting up pamphlets that stated that a private company needed used two-wheelers for its delivery boys. Manu contacted the police unknowingly and was caught red-handed.