New Delhi: It all began with a kickstart and a confident smile. To the salesperson at Rohini’s Vijay Vihar showroom, Punit Satija appeared to be the ideal customer—a polished, well-spoken man who seemed to know his way around a premium motorcycle. He requested a test ride, twisted the throttle, and vanished into the bustling Delhi traffic, leaving the showroom staff stunned. His spree came to an end on Saturday when he was apprehended in Outer Delhi’s Bhalaswa Dairy.The incident came to light last Friday when the missing motorcycle was reported during what was meant to be a routine test ride. A case was immediately registered, and DCP Shashank Jaiswal formed a team to investigate. The team identified Satija as the prime suspect. Coordinated raids in the Bhalswa Dairy area culminated in his arrest, where he was found in possession of a stolen Jawa 42 Bobber, allegedly taken from Seemapuri.A B.Com graduate, Satija once completed a six-month internship as a showroom salesman, gaining knowledge of how luxury bike dealers operate. Later, he tried his hand at a car accessories business in Rewari, investing two and a half years and reportedly losing Rs. 25 lakh in the process. Since 2025, he had been working as a daily-wage laborer, far removed from the high-octane world of premium motorcycles.During interrogation, Satija allegedly confessed to orchestrating multiple motorcycle thefts across Delhi-NCR. Authorities recovered five more high-end motorcycles from Burari, bringing the total number of cases linked to him to nine. Police said he had perfected a deceptive modus operandi: pose as a legitimate customer seeking a test ride, and once outside the showroom, vanish with the vehicle.Investigators revealed that his alleged thefts spanned prominent localities, including Vijay Vihar, Saket, Seemapuri, Tilak Nagar, Model Town, Moti Nagar, Paharganj, Civil Lines, Gurgaon, and other parts of Delhi. Among the recovered bikes were premium models such as the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650, three Jawa 42 Bobber bikes. Police continue to probe whether Satija acted alone or had accomplices, and if additional stolen vehicles remain to be recovered.
