Bicycle theft cases flood police stations in Kolkata as demand grows amid COVID-19

Kolkata, Jun 23 () Incidents of bicycle theft are on the rise in the city amid burgeoning demand for the environment-friendly two-wheeler as an alternative to public transport in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, police said on Tuesday.

Since early June, complaints about bicycles going missing from owners' residence have been received from different areas of the metropolis, including Behala, New Alipore, Jadavpur, Garia, Mudiali, Manicktala, Sinthee and Sealdah, they said.

Just last week, an FIR was lodged at the Sinthee Police Station after a mountain bike was stolen from inside a housing complex in Roypara area, a senior police officer said.

"The owner, a woman, had parked the bicycle inside the premises of her apartment after locking it. But, the two- wheeler was gone the next morning," he said.

Behala resident Sumit Chakraborty said his brand new bicycle, which he had recently bought to commute to office in Jadavpur area, was stolen from his house, where it was parked.

Around 87 such complaints have been received since the beginning of June, the police officer said.

"Most of these incidents are taking place at night... We are trying to ascertain whethe specific groups of bicycle thieves are in opertaion to cash in on the surging demand for the two-wheelers, especially second-hand ones," another senior police officer said. SCH RBT RBT