A 22-year-old engineering student from Vasai lost his bike to a thief, who posed as a buyer on the marketplace of a reputed social networking site.
According to the police, Asilton Pereira had posted an advertisement on the marketplace seeking buyers for his KTM bike on December 6. Asilton had quoted a price amounting Rs 1.65 lakh for the bike. Four days later a person (name withheld) responded to the advertisement on the messenger of the networking site, expressing his willingness to purchase the bike for R. 1.5 lakh.
Subsequently, both exchanged numbers and met near an eatery in the Bhabhola area of Vasai to negotiate and finalize the deal on Saturday (October 12). After riding pillion, the prospective buyer sought a trial ride on his own, before closing the deal.
However, under the guise of a solo trial, he escaped with the bike leaving the unsuspecting owner who had to lodge a complaint with the Manikpur police after a never-ending wait.
Initially, he received the bike owner’s phone call and assured to return within five minutes, but after that the thief went incommunicado. “Yes, the incident has been reported and investigations were on in the case,” said Senior Police Inspector Rajendra Kamble while adding a note of caution to citizens to be extremely cautious while conducting online deals and to verify genuineness of strangers before going ahead with any sale or purchase transaction.
Based on Pereira’s complaint, the Manikpur police registered an offence under section 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC against the accused.
