Struggling Telangana farmer turns bike thief; Invests illegal profits into farming

Hyderabad: A 33-year-old farmer from Ramreddypally village of Nagarkurnool district has turned a part-time thief for survival. Disappointed by repeated crop failure, Komire Yadagiri had begun stealing bikes from Hyderabad and selling them sans documents in his hometown. Interestingly, he would invest this money back in his farm — to improve the yield, with better fertilisers and pesticides — but to no avail.

The lid blew off during a routine vehicle check at Nagole X Road by Chaitanyapuri police. The officials had managed to recover ten bikes from Yadagiri, all of them worth Rs 5 lakh.

Yadagiri revealed his modus operandi after police took him into custody. He would mark motorcycles and bikes parked in public spaces, malls and residential localities. Through trial-and-error, he managed to lift these bike using false keys. Later, after changing the number plates, he would re-sell the stolen bike in his village.

Further investigations revealed that Yadagiri was an old-time offender, who had started motorcycle stealing as a part-time business, back in 2010. He had served his time in Cherlapally and Kalwakurthy jail as well, because of 19 other automobile and house theft cases against him. Although he was released in 2015, he continued his ‘part-time business’ as a bike robber because bikes meant easy money.

Who will buy stolen bikes?

Within villages, where there is less transport, it is always helpful to have a vehicle of one’s own. However, those who cannot afford a new vehicle may turn towards bikes like these, which are sold at shockingly low prices. Yadagiri would sell his stolen bikes at a rate of Rs 5,000-6,000 per bike, and there would be buyers for that in the village. His friends and relatives also bought the two-wheelers from him, said the police. It is also assumed that since these cheap bikes have no documents, they can only be used for commuting within the village, away from the eyes of police authorities.

As on November 24, the accused has been booked in 10 different cases of motorcycle theft, under Section 379 of IPC.