HYDERABAD : Based on a tip-off, the Pocharam IT corridor police on Monday arrested a habitual house burglar for allegedly stealing gold and silver ornaments from a residence in Jodimetla X Roads. They also seized 21 tolas of gold items, 1 kg of silver articles and Rs 1.5 lakh in cash from his possession.
The accused was identified as Sheelam Shetti Venkata Ramana alias Srinu, a native of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. The police said the sister-in-law of the complainant had locked the main door of their house in Swarnagiri Colony of Jodimetla before leaving at 10 am on April 26, but found the lock broken upon her return at 7.45 pm on the same day. She subsequently discovered that 14.96 tolas of gold items and 28 tolas of silver ornaments were stolen from the residence.
The police said Srinu was previously involved in about 250 cases in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and was even sent to jail. For three to four years after his release in 2014, he ran a tiffin centre but resorted to crimes again, for which he was sent to jail in April 2023. Upon his release, he started committing such offences again.
According to the police, Srinu would use disguise to avoid being detected and would target locked houses and plan exit routes. During the day, he surveyed different areas on foot and upon finding a locked house, he would forcibly enter by breaking locks with an iron rod. Inside, he would search for valuables in cabinets, iron boxes under beds, and other hiding spots, they added.