Visakhapatnam, Feb 10 (PTI) A Hyderabad-based software professional was arrested for his alleged involvement in 26 night-time burglaries from houses, a police official said on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Acchi Mahesh Reddy alias Sunny from Kakinada, allegedly carried out a series of offences after the Sankranti festival and had committed similar crimes last year as well, police said.
“We (Vizag police) have arrested a Hyderabad-based software professional on February 7 for his involvement in 26 night-time house burglaries and recovered gold, silver, and other stolen property worth over Rs 15 lakh,” Vizag Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crimes) K Lata Madhuri told PTI.
Acting on technical evidence and CCTV analysis, police arrested the accused near Arch Road in Gajuwaka and recovered 699 grams of gold, 3.8 kg of silver, a BMW car purchased with stolen money, and house-breaking tools.
The accused smartly ensured that he did not leave fingerprints or any other evidence at the crime scene, Madhuri said.
The DCP said the offender targeted houses during night hours and is suspected to have conducted recce during the daytime, though he has not admitted to it so far.
Police also found that the two-wheeler used for the offences belonged to a person named Mahesh, who was unaware that his vehicle was being used for robberies.
The case came to light after a resident of Gajuwaka lodged a complaint on October 14, 2025, stating that his house was burgled while he was away with his family.
Based on the complaint, Gajuwaka police registered a case under sections 331(4) and 305(a) of the BNS and launched an investigation.
Madhuri said similar thefts were reported in Gajuwaka, Arilova, Malkapuram, Pendurthi, and Duvvada areas, linking the accused to 26 cases within Visakhapatnam city.
In these cases, over 1,080 grams of gold, nearly 6,333 grams of silver, and cash worth Rs 40,500 were stolen, with the cumulative value estimated at about Rs 25 lakh.
The DCP said the accused had a long criminal history and first went to a juvenile jail at the age of 15 in Kakinada, where a Dossier Criminal (DC) sheet was opened against him.
“We will open a rowdy sheet against him here as a DC sheet already exists in Kakinada. For now, he has been placed under preventive detention for one year,” the DCP said.
Police also suspect that the accused’s mother may have a criminal background, which is yet to be ascertained, she said. PTI MS STH KH
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