Hi All,
This incident happened on 16th July, 2004 (Friday) in Bangalore. Please spend time to read this completely to understand the security threat posed by Splendor
I reached the Udipi Sagar hotel in BTM I stage which is near to the Maruthi Nagar main road @ around 9.50 pm on friday night along with my wife to have dinner. I parked my red color HH splendor in front of the hotel and went in and sat down to have dinner. We came out of the hotel at 10.25 pm when we were shell shocked not to find the bike there. I was not able to think what to do for a couple of minutes. Then enquired with couple of autowallahs who were there near the hotel and also
the hotel owner.
All of them told that they dont have any idea about the bike. I got tensed up on not finding the bike and decided to go to the Madiwala Police Station to lodge a compliant. I reached the PS by auto along with my wife. The SI there asked me to get the Original RC book. We took an auto to reach my home in J.P.Nagar. In the meantime I called up one of my friends to come to my house. Me and my friend took the original RC book and reached the Madiwala PS in his bike @ around 11 pm. The SI instructed one constable to accompany my friend to have a look at the spot where I had left the bike.
So they left the PS towards the hotel. In the meantime, another constable who was there @ the PS gave me a shocking proof of one Splendor being able to open another splendor bike. Yes, he was able to open atleast 3 of the seized splendor bikes lying the PS with my key. So he told me that somebody might have taken my bike by mistake as that person’s key might have opened my bike.
My friend came back to the PS along with the constable @ around 11.45 pm. He told that there was a red color spendor bike lying in front of the hotel at that time where there was literally nobody around. So the SI and the other constables came to a conclusion that the owner of that bike would have taken my bike. But I was still not convinced and insisted on taking my compliant. But the SI told me not to worry and asked me to leave both the bike numbers and my fone number with address in a book.
He told me to go to the ’’spot’’ on sat morning to see if that owner comes there to pick up his bike. If at all the bike isnt there or he doesnt turn up even by 9.30 am, he told me to lodge a compliant. I left the PS @ midnight with a half convinced heart and on the way back once again reached that hotel and the bike was still lying there !!!. This increased my confidence that indeed my bike has been taken by that owner by mistake. I did try to open that bike with my key, but that didnt work. So, I left a message on that bike to contact me, hoping that the owner when he sees the message might contact me.
My friend left me @ my home @ 12.15 and left the place. I had a sleepless night. I reached the hotel the next day morning @ 7.30 am itself. The hotel owner also told me that not to worry and that my bike would have been taken by mistake by that owner. I was waiting there till 8.30 am. I was getting inpatient. I contacted one more of my friends who is a localite and hence has a good command over the local language. He reached the spot @ 9.15 am and induced some confidence into me. He spoke to one of his lawyer friends and told me the options available before me.
We were still wondering what to do. At about 9.45 am, he asked me to try opening the utility box in the bike with my key. Luckily that got opened correctly and I was able to find the xerox of the RC book and there was the address of the owner. It was a house in BTM I stage, which was very near to the hotel. So we left the hotel in search of that house and got it within 5 mins. My bike was parked in front of that house. I was not able to contol my emotions on seeing my bike. It was a mix of happiness, relief, anxiety, etc etc.
We knocked the door of that house and a person came out. We told him that he has brought my bike my mistake. He got shocked and told me that he had in fact come to blore 2 days back and that the bike was his cousin’s. We asked me to come with us to take his bike. His got really scared as to what we are going to do. He kept on begging pardon for the mistake and hence the nightmare. Then he took his
bike and went home. Atlast I got my bike after all the drama. I left home with my bike after profusely thanking my friend for the timely help.
The point that is still striking my mind is that how come a bike’s key can open another bike’s key so easily ???. In fact the constable told me that only Splendor is so much vulnerable in this very important aspect. I am still not able to convince myself on this. Though I am relieved that I have got my bike back, this should be a lesson to all splendor owners and also to people who are thinking about buying a Splendor in future.
Regards
Vijay