KARACHI: The Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) on Saturday arrested seven suspects allegedly involved in stealing of motorbikes from the metropolis and recovered 29 stolen motorcycles from their possession, said ACLC SSP Syed Asad Raza.

In the wake of rising incidents of motorbike theft, the ACLC under a strategy started surveillance of affected areas and arrested seven suspects in the first phase from Baba Mor in Shershah and Hub River Road.

“The held suspects belonged to an inter-provincial gang of bike lifters,” claimed the SSP.

The police recovered 29 motorbikes, which had been stolen from the metropolis within a few days.

The ringleader was Khalid Khokhar, who was among the arrested suspects.

Other suspects identified as Mohsin, Rizwan, Rashid and Siraj belonged to Khuzdar in Balochistan while Wasim Abbas and Abdul Qadir belonged to Karachi.

“The ringleader Khalid Khokhar had been arrested by the ACLC five times in the past,” revealed the official, adding that he was wanted in more than nine cases.

“He got released from prison each time with the help of a lawyer, who is his close relative,” the SSP said.

Another held suspect, Rizwan, was also arrested twice in the past. He was wanted in six cases. “He used to steal one or two motorbikes on daily basis and subsequently sold the same in Khuzdar at Rs12,000 per bike.”

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2018