With the arrest of five men, police on Wednesday claimed to have busted a gang of vehicle thieves who stole and sold them by preparing fake registration documents after changing the engine and chassis numbers.
Khoda police has recovered 16 motorcycles and two scooters from different parking sites and semi-constructed plots.
The accused have been identified as Shahnawaz, Asif, Shushil, Vishal (all residents of Ghazipur, Delhi) and Rihan, a native of Bijnor district in west Uttar Pradesh, police said.
According to the police, the accused had started lifting bikes to lead luxurious lives and to meet the expenses of their girlfriends. They had also planned to go Goa or somewhere abroad to celebrate New Year with their partners.
The gang used to steal two-wheelers in the night after detailed recce and was active in National Capital Region, Ghaziabad Superintendent of Police (city) Maneesh Mishra told PTI.
The accused confessed to have stolen more than 500 bikes in Haryana, UP, Delhi and Punjab, he said.
After stealing the bikes from the NCR they were selling them in West UP and other states, Mishra said.