[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by psn

Today in TOI it says that they have caught the guy. He is an IIT pass out and works for ONGC with a salary of Rs. 100000 pm. He loved the Harley, but his mother would not let him buy one even though he could afford it. So he stole it. Really dumb..BUT...as I was reading it, I was left wondering. How strong must his love be, for a Harley that he went to this extend? He crossed the line, yes..but on this forum, I am sure everybody understands the feeling of being in love with automobiles...and all of us have at some point done something stupid for them.
Apparently the police are getting him and the bike back from Mumbai.

I wish that the dealer drops the case..if and only if the chap agrees to buy the same bike at the retail price(no discount and no depreciation as its a test vehicle) + compensation to the dealer for the pain he went through in the form of compulsary purchase of accessories from the store.
He did it for love..and love does make you do crazy things.

If we extend this 'for love' argument, I am sure the Ola cab drivers/Uber drivers are very lonely for love, may be the country should forgive them too.

I want this moron treated like a common thief he has proven to be, and sent behind bars for the maximum extent punishable under his crime. The sentence needs to be harsher compared to a dirt poor beggar stealing to fill his stomach, since this well off guy could have bought a bike off the shelf had he got the essential parts to stand up to his mother!!!

[krcustoms]

Personally i feel bad for the guy. he looks like a bright guy , IIT educated and working in a good position. Seem to have some depression issues which i can tell you can get really bad.

the bike is recovered so i hope that they go lenient on the guy and drop the case. its really a first time offence in a fit of mental unsuitability. The dealer recovered the bike so should let me go. i hope anyways.

regards
krish

[loki]

Good they caught him soon. But I sure hope some punishment is meted out - might serve a message to other fools with crazy ideas.

The negative of this is that other dealers might stop offering test rides altogether, or will not allow solo test rides. Which isn't good for genuine aspiring owners.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by psn

I wish that the dealer drops the case..if and only if the chap agrees to buy the same bike at the retail price(no discount and no depreciation as its a test vehicle) + compensation to the dealer for the pain he went through in the form of compulsary purchase of accessories from the store.
He did it for love..and love does make you do crazy things.

Originally Posted by krcustoms

Personally i feel bad for the guy. he looks like a bright guy , IIT educated and working in a good position. Seem to have some depression issues which i can tell you can get really bad.

the bike is recovered so i hope that they go lenient on the guy and drop the case. its really a first time offence in a fit of mental unsuitability. The dealer recovered the bike so should let me go.
krish

Firstly, the education should have helped him to understand right from wrong. I think its hilarious that we want to forgive and drop a case against a thief who has come from a priviledged background and who has still not learnt to distinguish between right and wrong.

Secondly, this chap never had second thoughts nor did he express any remorse or regret and surrendered to the cops or contacted the dealer on his own. He was tracked down and arrested from a different city. He obviously did not factor in that he could get caught in another city.

Thirdly, this offer of buying the bike at no discount and no depreciation is nonsense. So, by this logic, we should all steal what we love and if we get caught, just offer to pay up the full price and expect a full pardon.

The fact is that this person had the education to understand what's right and wrong, he chose the wrong path willingly. He could afford this bike yet he chose to steal it. He deserves to be tried as per law. A pardon would just defeat the whole purpose.

[krcustoms]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

Firstly, the education should have helped him to understand right from wrong. I think its hilarious that we want to forgive and drop a case against a thief who has come from a priviledged background and who has still not learnt to distinguish between right and wrong.

Secondly, this chap never had second thoughts nor did he express any remorse or regret and surrendered to the cops or contacted the dealer on his own. He was tracked down and arrested from a different city. He obviously did not factor in that he could get caught in another city.

Thirdly, this offer of buying the bike at no discount and no depreciation is nonsense. So, by this logic, we should all steal what we love and if we get caught, just offer to pay up the full price and expect a full pardon.

The fact is that this person had the education to understand what's right and wrong, he chose the wrong path willingly. He could afford this bike yet he chose to steal it. He deserves to be tried as per law. A pardon would just defeat the whole purpose.

Lalvaz, in no way i am suggesting that a crime was not committed. ofcourse there should be a penalty for it but all i am saying is that the fact that the bike is recovered ( so net loss) and given his mental situation and being a first offence the courts would look at it positively. i know its a tough one to defend but i can only hope that is the case.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by krcustoms

Lalvaz, in no way i am suggesting that a crime was not committed. ofcourse there should be a penalty for it but all i am saying is that the fact that the bike is recovered ( so net loss) and given his mental situation and being a first offence the courts would look at it positively. i know its a tough one to defend but i can only hope that is the case.

What do you mean by "mental condition"? Are you saying he suffered a bout of insanity? The "net loss" is huge. Think about the genuine buyers who will now have a tougher time getting a solo test ride. The financial loss would be huge if you consider the time and efforts it took to track him down and arrest him from Bombay and transport him and the bike back to Hyderabad? Who will bear those costs? Will he pay that?

Also, as per the other posts here, this chap went earlier for a test ride in a heavily inebriated condition. He has also had behavioural issues with his colleagues in the past. And hey, even without going into the past, he has to pay for his actions. Asking for a pardon in this case is not done.

[harry10]

We don't know all the facts. By the look of it seems a case of sheer stupidity or mental instability. If it's the latter I wish courts will get him the help he needs. After all he is not a gangster or a career criminal. Nor he needs money by stealing and selling bikes. So, something is definitely wrong with his mental condition.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by psn

I wish that the dealer drops the case..if and only if the chap agrees to buy the same bike at the retail price(no discount and no depreciation as its a test vehicle) + compensation to the dealer for the pain he went through in the form of compulsary purchase of accessories from the store.
He did it for love..and love does make you do crazy things.

A noble line of thinking but one that would leave our judiciary with nothing to do if everyone starts adopting it.

If we are thinking out of the box, here's what I propose - before he gets tossed into jail where he rightly belongs, he should sign an agreement with the the HD dealer to buy the very same bike whenever he completes his prison sentence. Its a win win situation. The dealer gets to dispose of a 5 - 6 year old Harley (whats the going rate on theft these days?) that's been used for test rides at full price. Mr Criminal is reunited with his true love. Im sure there's a Bollywood story waiting to be told.


On a more serious note, a crime is a crime is a crime. And as Lalvaz just mentioned, what about the time and effort of the dealership staff and the police in hunting him down? Our nation's law enforcement and judiciary are heavily burdened as it is. The last thing we need is to push them to let criminals go scot free just because they committed acts of passion.

[Anand3553]

Well well, That is the most interesting theft I have come across in a long time. Now lets wait for the Bollywood version !

I think IIT Chennai also should file a case on him. I am sure lot of parents will think again before sending their boys there.


Regards
Anand

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by Anand3553

Well well, That is the most interesting theft I have come across in a long time. Now lets wait for the Bollywood version !

I think IIT Chennai also should file a case on him. I am sure lot of parents will think again before sending their boys there.


Regards
Anand

IIT also accepts people with just one mark, thanks to the government's helpful policies. They have no control on such people. That apart this case highlights the sad neglect of mental health issues in India. Neither did a premier institute such as IIT or a large government organization such as ONGC bother to scan, screen and eliminate mental health cases during joining or induction. A simple psychometric plus mental health/psychological evaluation may have stopped this budding thief in his tracks.
He appears the classical case of a deranged criminal. One who has mommy control issues, one who has workplace people issues, one who has no moral compass and one who wants to get what he wants hook or crook. Had he not committed this robbery, he may well have committed a rape or murder sooner than later.

[ani_meher]

I think he should be treated like a common criminal, like he has shown himself to be. No need to 'make an example out of him' by harsher punishment, nor is there any need to 'let him go' if he buys the bike. His crime is not 'riding the bike far distances without buying it', but rather 'stealing other people's property', nothing more nothing less.

His reason is really hilarious, that 'mom didn't let me buy it so I stole it'! Hope his lawyer doesn't claim him to be juvenile mental age because of this argument.

After he gets out of jail, maybe a refund from IIT is due, with a letter of apology, that no matter how we tried, common sense just couldn't be taught.

Originally Posted by MSC

Even a moped is not handed over as easily as they handed a harley. Seems a person from showroom probably an insider is hand in glove with accused.

I have take solo test rides of premium and non premium bikes. Are you suggesting that all this time the salesman was trying to hint me to steal the bike?! Damn, no wonder I didn't get into the criminal career!

Solo rides even on premium bikes are quite a norm as can be seen by past experiences posted on this thread. The core value is 'trust' which this guy breached. Luckily he lacked the other core value of criminals as well: 'thief sense'.

[maddy42]

Sigh! Seriously folks supporting him and giving reasons...what are you guys even thinking. This man is a criminal, if he gets away with this case, will you promise for his behavior in the future.

If this person was a normal illiterate or uneducated man you would want him arrested and hanged, but coz he studied in IIT, you want case to be thrown out and the bike sold to him?

Lotsa career criminals are very well educated and if you folks were judge and jury they would get away with anything.

This boy deserves nothing except a jail sentence. He should be fined for all the loss of time for the show room and the dealer should not sell him the bike. I would not want this chap to be anywhere near my shop if i was the owner.

Just another Uneducated literate!

Just imagine he stole your car or motorcycle coz he loved it. Will you pardon him? Lol!

Maddy

[psn]

Neil.Jericho ,
I 100% agree with you. A crime is a crime. Law should take its own course. If I were the dealer I would have the agreement idea, that after the sentence the same vehicle has to be bought by this guy. Win Win definitely for the dealer. Use the vehicle for test drive and a guaranteed sale after years of the piece at full value.

And coincidently I too thought that, this situation has all the makings of a proper road film. About him stealing, and then embarking on an exciting journey to Mumbai where all through the way he dodges the smart hero cop, who nearly catches him a few times.Several exciting chases. Somewhere down the way, he realises his mistake but now he has gone too far, so he has to carry on. Throw in a gf, for who he has stolen the bike. And he comes to know that she doesn't love him back.

[i74js]

I discussed this with an SA of Triumph Dealer in my area and he suggested that most of the times they prefer giving test rides by taking bikes to the residential and office address of the prospective buyers.

They have found it to be easier and comforting when a solo / long ride is expected by the client as the chances of cheating are minimal.

Also, the verification form is completed through a OTP sent on the buyers mobile which at a very minimum gives a confirmation of the mobile number.

But I certainly liked the GPS idea in test vehicles be it bikes or cars, this is very hand and cheap. Even announcing this before trial / test ride is a good idea. The bad intentions (if any) will subside

[Metallicar]

He got suspended from ONGC. He has bought the bike from the showroom and the case is being dismissed. Must have paid some extra money.

But I don't think the punishment is just.

Its like you can loot a jewelry shop and if yet get caught then pay up otherwise take it home.