Four Kandivli youths steal bikes using YouTube hacks; held

The four accused have been identified as Mahesh Swami (22), Ganesh Chavan (20), Sandeep Gaikwad (20) and Yogesh Sakare (19)

Four college students were arrested by the Dindoshi police for allegedly robbing two-wheelers across Mumbai for joyrides.

The youngsters who are residents of Kandivali watched YouTube videos to learn how to start a motorcycle without using a key and robbed bikes from parking areas and unmanned society compounds.

The four accused have been identified as Mahesh Swami (22), Ganesh Chavan (20), Sandeep Gaikwad (20) and Yogesh Sakare (19).

According to police sources, the boys learnt how to start two-wheelers without a key from YouTube videos and practiced on their parents' and neighbors' bikes before robbing their first two-wheeler.

The accused Swami first took his father's bike for a joyride to flaunt in front of his friends. When Swami's friends saw him ride the motorcycle without using a key, they asked him to teach them how to do it. After learning, they robbed their first two-wheeler in April from Malad.

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Following this, the boys would often meet at night and rob bikes that were parked in non-crowded areas with no surveillance cameras.

"When they encountered a nakabandi during their joyrides, the boys would get off the bike and push it pretending they were helping a relative by taking the bikes to the garage. The boys used to then change the number plate and leave the bike wherever as soon as the fuel tanks got empty," a police said.

Last month, a Goregaon resident approached the police claiming that his two-wheeler parked outside a garage was stolen. "During the investigation, we scanned more than 50 CCTVs in the locality but did not spot the bike. This made it clear that the robbers were aware of all the alleys and roads without CCTVs in the area," said an officer from Dindoshi police station.

"A few days ago, a classmate of Swami and others approached us saying that he had seen Sandeep Gaikwad riding a different bike every day around the college to impress girls," he added.

Based on the tip-off, the police detained Gaikwad and on further questioning, he revealed the names of Swami, Chavan, Sakare. All three were detained from their houses on Monday.

"We seized seven motorcycles, which the accused had robbed from Santacruz, Govandi and Andheri east area," said PSI Dr. C Gharge from Dindoshi police station.

The four boys have been arrested for theft under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and were presented before the court. The court remanded them in police custody till December 30.