Bhubaneswar, March 23: Incidents of bike theft have seen a sharp rise in the capital city, with miscreants targeting areas near police stations, hospitals, and other busy locations.

According to police data, a total of 1,097 bike theft cases were registered across Bhubaneswar in 2025. On average, more than three bikes are stolen daily. However, only 218 stolen vehicles have been recovered so far, while the rest remain untraced.

Sources suggest that the actual number of thefts could be significantly higher, as many cases reportedly go unregistered. It is alleged that complaints are sometimes not accepted if the stolen vehicle is uninsured, unless higher authorities intervene.

Unofficial estimates indicate that around 10 to 15 bikes are being stolen daily from different parts of the city, with Capital and Khandagiri police station areas emerging as major hotspots.

Investigations reveal that stolen vehicles are dismantled at scrap yards and their parts transported outside the state, particularly to West Bengal. Scrap units near AIIMS, Malisahi, and Jagatpur are suspected to be key hubs in this illegal network.

Despite having inputs, police action against such operations has remained limited. Previous attempts to raid these scrap yards reportedly failed, with miscreants resorting to stone-pelting to resist police entry.

Officials say that dismantling a bike takes less than 30 minutes in these units. Besides bikes, cars, auto-rickshaws, and trucks are also allegedly being cut and smuggled out.

The growing theft network and limited enforcement have raised serious concerns among city residents.