Two men and a minor, allegedly involved in a series of theft cases across Trimulgherry, Karkhana, Chilkalguda, R.C. Puram and Miyapur, were arrested by the North Zone police on Sunday (January 26).
The accused were identified as Junior Rajender Singh (38), a private employee from Pamula Basthi in Nizamabad who has a history of involvement in 23 cases, including those in Cyberabad, Karimnagar, East Godavari, Medak, Rangareddy and Secunderabad; Banda Singh (46), a utensil maker from Banswada involved in at least four cases; and a 17-year-old relative of Banda Singh.
The police said a sharp-edged weapon, shutter lifting rods and a mobile phone were seized from them but the stolen property was yet to be traced. A special team has been tasked with recovering the items. The investigation was launched after thefts were reported in Trimulgherry and Karkhana.
An investigation showed that the gang identified shuttered shops along main roads and used specialised rods and equipment to break open the locks. They used masks to conceal their identities and wore gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints.
The accused travelled to Hyderabad on RTC buses and stole two-wheelers to carry out the thefts. After breaking into shops and stealing cash and valuables from counter cabinets, the accused would flee on the stolen vehicle before eventually escaping the city via public transport. In one case, the stolen bike used for the crime was traced to Gandhi Hospital’s parking area.
Footage from over 100 CCTV cameras along the escape route was analysed to identify the trio. Further investigation is under way.
