An 18‑year‑old man has been arrested in connection with the theft of a motorbike from an Indian content creator who was 15,000 miles into a round‑the‑world challenge when the vehicle and luggage were taken in Nottingham.
Nottinghamshire Police said the bike, a black, white and orange KTM 390 Adventure, was stolen while parked at Wollaton Park on 28 August. The luggage attached to the motorcycle contained the rider's passport and items valued at about £15,000.
Police said on Monday they had located and arrested an 18‑year‑old man in Doncaster. He was detained on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and other offences, and inquiries were continuing. Officers appealed for anyone who might have information about the bike's current whereabouts to come forward.
"We know, having spoken to the victim of this offence and hearing about his journey, how much the theft of his motorbike has impacted him," Sergeant Daniel Sheasby said. "While we've so far been unable to return the motorcyclist's property to him, we hope news of this arrest provides some reassurance that action is being taken. This is still very much an active investigation though, so we'd again appeal to anyone who knows anything but hasn't shared it with us yet to please do so now."
The rider, Yogesh Alekari, is a full‑time content creator who has been documenting his trip on social media. He said he bought the bike in April before setting off and had ridden through 17 countries before the theft, covering about 15,000 miles (24,140km).
Alekari's journey took him through parts of Asia including Iran, Nepal, China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and continued through Europe with stops in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. He had planned to continue into Africa but said he was left stranded in the UK with only the clothes he was wearing after the theft.
Since the theft was reported, Alekari said he had received offers of help, including clothing and proposals to replace the motorbike. The production company behind the Long Way Home TV series, fronted by actor Ewan McGregor and presenter Charley Boorman, also reached out to offer support.
"I really appreciate it," Alekari said. "They've [well‑wishers] changed my perspective. I'm getting huge support from across the country, India, the UK, all the biker community. I've got a lot of messages from British bikers, British citizens, saying 'we are with you - we are going to support you.'"
Nottinghamshire Police reiterated that the investigation remains active and the stolen KTM has not yet been recovered. Anyone with information about the theft or the bike's location is asked to contact the force.
Alekari's case has drawn attention from the international riding community as well as viewers of his social channels, where he had amassed more than 180,000 followers on Instagram and about 16,000 on Facebook. Police did not release further details about the arrested man or any planned charges, saying inquiries were ongoing.