Cuttack: Bike-lifting is turning into an organised crime here with more criminals eyeing motorcycles as soft targets.

Police have recovered 68 stolen motorcycles and arrested 14 thieves in six months.

The latest incident took place on Friday with the cops arresting four persons and seizing nine motorcycles. The police were investigating a complaint by a resident of Arunodayanagar about theft of his motorcycle.

The cops said it had been ascertained that Jitu Mandal of Telenga Bazar, Divya Shakti Behera of Rajabagicha, Akash Samal and Siva Prasad Behera of Gopalpur had committed the theft.

"During interrogation, it was ascertained that they had stolen numerous motorcycles from Badambadi, Madhuparna, Purighat, Sadar, Markatnagar and CDA Phase II police station limits and in Bhubaneswar," Cuttack deputy commissioner of police Akhileswar Singh said.

On May 14, Jagatpur police, while investigating into a complaint from a resident of Nankar about theft of his motorcycle, had arrested one person from Gunjarpur Pirabazar.

The cops said following the arrest of Sk Manwar, 33 motorcycles had been recovered and the police have stumbled upon a major stolen motorcycle collecting and selling racket.

The arrest of Manwar led to the recovery of the motorcycle along with five others.

Raids conducted on the basis of his information in the houses of three persons - Nihar Ranjan Behura, Jagabandhu Gochi and Prakash Kumar Sahoo - led to seizure of 27 stolen motorcycles.

"It was established that the trio collected motorcycles from criminals and sold those at low prices. It was ascertained that they were also collecting motorcycles stolen from other states," said a cop.