A 26-year-old construction worker was arrested by the city police for allegedly posing as a prospective buyer and cheating owners of two expensive bikes in the city last week.
The accused, N. Shanmugam alias Palaniyandi alias Ayyappan, was secured in the late hours of Sunday and remanded on Monday.
Palaniyandi, who had studied only till 9{+t}{+h}standard, is from Kadambarayanpatti in Ilupur, Pudukkottai district. He worked at construction sites and lived with his wife at NGGO Colony near Thudiyalur.
Inquiries revealed that he browsed through a popular e-commerce website selling used items and identified the two victims who had posted advertisements to sell their vehicles.
The police said that the accused called the sellers, fixed an appointment to meet them and took the bikes for a ride and never returned.
After searching for the vehicles, the victims, Manikandan (26), a pizza delivery man, and A. Manivel (21), a college student, lodged complaints with the Singanallur police.
Meanwhile, they also found his picture in a social platform and circulated it among their friends.
On Sunday evening, one of them informed the police that they had spotted Palaniyandi. The police secured him and recovered both the vehicles which he was reportedly trying to sell.