Kathmandu, January 2

Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has handed over 22 motorcycles and scooters, which it retrieved from different places of the country, to their respective owners.

The motorcycles were lifted by racketeers from various places of Kathmandu valley at different times. They either sold them to clients in rural and peri-urban areas of the country or rode them.

Senior Superintendent of Police Janak Bhattarai, MTPD in-charge, turned over the two-wheelers to the respective owners after verification of documents yesterday.

Padam Lama, Pradeep Thapa, Sony Bhattarai, Kailash Shrestha, Sangmu Sherpa, Buddi Jung Gurung, Sange Tenzing Mahat, Raj Kumar Budhathoki, Suraj Kumar Pokharel, Rajesh Kumar Poddar, Basudev Gurung, Krishnaraj Giri, Dorje Lama, Bikash Gautam, Laxmi Acharya, Dhurba Bolakhe, Pinky Sitikhu, Anju Giri, Dev Kumar Tamang, Bhuwan Kumar Sunar, Bikash Magar and Prabesh Rai got their two-wheelers back.

Plainclothes cops deployed by Victim Support Unit of MTPD had retrieved the stolen bikes from Banepa, Kapan, Dhumbarahi, Kalanki, Banasthali, Gongabu, Bouddha, Thapathali, Sundhara, Sinamangal, Jorpati, Thamel, Mulpanni, Kalanki, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur, Ghattekulo, Jarankhu, Chabahil, Old Baneshwor and Babar Mahal.

SSP Bhattarai said MPTD had assigned its sleuths to various parts of the country and Kathmandu valley to intercept stolen bikes. Most of the two-wheelers lifted from the valley are sold to clients in rural parts that have road networks but lack the presence of law enforcement officials. Hospital premises and busy marketplaces are more vulnerable to bike thefts.

Bhattarai advised bike owners stop park their two-wheelers in secure places with handles locked and handle their property more seriously.

“We have made a provision in such a way that any person can call the traffic police hotline (103) and submit an application to MTPD when his/ her vehicle is suspected to have been stolen. Intelligent locking system having double lock option could make it difficult for racketeers to lift motorcycles,” he said.

Carelessness on the part of bikers is the main cause of the problem despite the fact that they are well-informed about the daily reports of motorcycle theft, SSP Bhattarai warned.

He said nine persons were arrested in connection with bike lifting in the past one month. On an average two motorcycles are reportedly stolen from the valley daily.