Kozhikode: A probe into a bike theft case led to the arrest of two gangs of thieves who have committed many crimes across the state. 

Police have seized stolen bikes and mobile phones from the gang members. Seven youngsters were caught in the operation, police said.

While two youngsters from the first gang were caught from Kuttikkaattoor, the third member of the gang and four members from another gang were caught from their hideout on an abandoned compound in the heart of the city, police said. 

The chain of events began with the probe into the theft of a bike on September 19 from Medical College police limits. While trying to trace the bike, CCTV footage revealed that the same bike was used for another theft at Koduvally in Kozhikode district on Thursday.

Following a tip-off, the team under Deputy Commissioner of Police K E Baiju and Medical College police traced the three-member gang to a house in Kuttikkattoor on Friday (September 21). They were hiding in a gang member's house. 

Of the three in the house, police caught Mohammed Shihal (20) and Akshay Kumar (20), while Mohammed Thayif (19) escaped after stabbing the police driver Sandeep. He drove off on a stolen bike, which he picked up from Makkanattuthazham at Kuttikkattoor.

Following another tip-off, police found out that Thayif was hiding inside the abandoned compound Comtrust building near Mananchira. 

In a combined operation, the Medical College police, City Special Action group and Control Room police surrounded the compound.

To their surprise, police also found four members of another gang holed up there. They were busy planning another theft when cops crashed their party.

Police captured Thayif, P K Safnas and P Sadique from Kozhikode, O T Shahir from Kasargod and Mohammed Rizwan from Tamil Nadu.

Thayif is involved in 21 criminal cases, said Medical College assistant commissioner K Sudarsan during a press meet held at the station.

Police also seized many bikes and mobile phones from the gang. Apart from stealing mobile phones and vehicles, they were also involved in robbing shops and temple hundis in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur and Palakkad districts. 

Police said they had stolen a bike a week ago from Vengeri, near Kozhikode and went to Valluvambram, Malappuram. They lifted another bike after abandoning the first bike there. Thayif was out on bail in another case when the gang committed another crime.

When Deputy Commissioner Baiju got the tip-off, the gang was roaming the city on stolen vehicles. Then the city crime squad put them on their radar and tracked them to the house in Kuttikkattoor.

The team under ACP K Sudarsan, led by Inspector Benny Lalu of Medical College police and a team from Special Action Group under SI O Mohandas nabbed the gangs. 

Sandeep, who was injured in the operation, was admitted to the Government Medical College, Kozhikode.

The seven culprits have been remanded by the court, police said.