Tejas Pradhan (13), a resident of Sahakarnagar, was wandering in the neighbourhood on February 23 when he observed a boy his age zestfully riding a bicycle. Nothing unusual about the sighting, except Tejas recognised that, until about an hour ago, he was the proud owner of the wheels. The cycle had been stolen from his coaching centre. With the help of his uncle Sameer Potnis, the class VIII student managed to apprehend the kid and handed him over to Dattawadi police station.

During interrogation, the young delinquent spilled the beans about his gang comprising five to six children – all about 10 to 13 years old – who swiped high-end bicycles, just for the joyride. Potnis decided not to lodge a complaint as his nephew’s cycle had been recovered. However, when cops accompanied the miscreant to his dwelling at Janata Vasahat in Parvati area, they nabbed two other kids and seized seven bicycles, which were parked at myriad locations in the area.