Hyderabad: A spate of petrol thefts targeting parked two-wheelers has put residents of Ibrahimpatnam, a suburb in Ranga Reddy district, on edge, with locals demanding tighter night patrolling and faster police action.
In the most recent case, CCTV footage showed a man allegedly siphoning fuel from a motorcycle parked outside a house at night on Saturday, June 27. The clip has since spread widely on social media, with residents citing it as evidence that bikes left outside overnight are becoming soft targets for such theft.
Locals said similar incidents have been reported in the area in recent weeks, though exact numbers could not be independently confirmed. Several residents have begun parking their vehicles indoors or covering fuel tank caps with locks as a precaution.
Residents are now appealing to the local police to step up night rounds in the area and use available CCTV footage to trace the accused before more incidents are reported. There has been no official confirmation yet from Ibrahimpatnam police on the number of complaints received or any arrests made.
The thefts come even as petrol prices in Hyderabad remain among the steepest in the country. The city’s petrol rate is currently around Rs 116 per litre, with Telangana levying one of India’s highest VAT rates on fuel, pushing prices well above those in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
For vehicle owners already grappling with high fuel costs, the loss of even a litre or two to theft adds to the financial pinch, residents said.
