Fruit Vendor-Turned-Thief Arrested for Stealing Bikes to Fund Friend's Wife's Cancer Treatment

BENGALURU - A fruit vendor-turned-thief, Ashok alias Apple, aged 33, has been apprehended by the Girinagar police for his involvement in a series of two-wheeler thefts. Ashok, a resident of Soladevanahalli, confessed to using the stolen vehicles' proceeds to fund the cancer treatment of his friend’s wife. According to the police, the couple had provided him with food and shelter after his wife deserted him.

Ashok was arrested alongside Satish alias Sathya, 40, from Byadarahalli, by a team led by sub-inspector Manjunath KD. The duo was tracked down during the investigation of a stolen Bajaj Pulsar 220 belonging to Nikhil ER, a software engineer from Girinagar II Phase. The theft occurred near Shakthi Ganapathi temple on July 26.

Satish, a seasoned criminal, has been involved in 42 cases, including murder, robbery, chain snatching, and theft. On the other hand, Ashok faces 15 charges and had only recently been released from jail a month ago. Ashok’s wife had disowned him one-and-a-half years ago due to his criminal activities, leading him to seek refuge at his close friend’s house.

The police team, through diligent investigation and surveillance, managed to track down the duo and bring them to justice. Sub-inspector Manjunath KD commended the efforts of his team in solving the case and emphasized the importance of community vigilance in preventing such crimes.