VIJAYAWADA: Prakasam police arrested an inter-district house-breaking theft gang and recovered stolen items worth `45 lakh here on Friday.
The theft took place in the house of Chandolu Srinivasa Rao of Tallur village on March 7. Srinivasa Rao, who runs a grocery shop, had gone to Sri Prasanna Anjaneyaswami’s fair at Singarayakonda on that day. He found his house ransacked and valuables stolen on his return. He lodged a complaint with the police stating that about 66 sovereign gold was stolen from his house.
Addressing a media briefing, District Superintendent of Police (SP) Malika Garg said that police found that the gang of property offenders was led by Vanaparthi Raju alias Shiva of Jangareddygudem village of West Godavari district.
Raju used to steal money to satisfy his addiction. Accordingly, he committed theft in Vizianagaram, Alluri Sitaramaraju and Srikakulam districts and eventually got arrested. After his release, he shifted to Chennai where he was working as a labourer.
The accused was rendered jobless after the lockdown was imposed in 2020. Raju along with his associates began committing thefts in Inkollu, Kandukuru rural, Korisapadu, Thalluru, Mundlamuru police stations limits to make ends meet.
The gang allegedly bought a car from the proceeds of the crime in Inkollu village and used it for thefts. They mortgaged the proceeds in private finance companies and obtained loans for their luxury wants.