Mumbai, Jan 12 (NIE): Two teenagers were arrested for allegedly stealing vehicles and police had recovered 29 two-wheelers from their possession on Tuesday. The duo allegedly sold the stolen vehicles after changing their numberplates and using forged documents.

One of the accused, Mehraj Abdul Bari (19) of Mankhurd, was caught after a CCTV camera footage showed him riding away with a scooter parked at Ferry Wharf on January 6. Yellow Gate police kept vigil in the area for two days and nabbed Bari, when he was allegedly in the process of committing another theft, on Tuesday.

“The CCTV footage helped us catch the thief,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Port Zone, Rashmi Karandikar.

“At first, the accused denied committing the crime. Then he claimed that he had only taken the scooter for a joyride and would return it, before confessing to the theft,”added Karandikar.

Bari then led the police to his accomplice, Belapur resident Mushtaq Mansuri (19). “We recovered 29 stolen vehicles worth Rs 6.31 lakh from the accused,” said Karandikar.

Police said the duo had been committing thefts since 2014, when they were minors and have four cases registered against them in Nerul and Belapur police stations in Navi Mumbai.