Two thieves held, booty worth Rs 56 lakh recovered

Nellore: In a major breakthrough, police crackdown a robbery within 24 hours of the incident that took place in Kandukuru town on Saturday. Two thieves were arrested and 760 gm gold ornaments worth Rs 56.28 lakh and Rs 3.18 lakh cash were recovered from them on Sunday.

The accused were identified as brothers, one is Mirappali Balanarayana (21) and other one is a juvenile (15-year-old), of Bestha Colony, Seetharama Puram village of SPSR Nellore district. The duo were old offenders and involved in 16 cases in various places across the State.

It is interesting to note that of the total 16 cases, seven cases were registered against the juvenile, two each in Kanigiri and Podili of Prakasam district, one at Ongole town of Prakasam district, one at SR Puram of Nellore district and one case at Palasa of Srikakulam district. One case was registered against Balanarayana at Ongole town police station.

Addressing the media here on Sunday, SP Krishnakanth has detailed that the duo broke open the locks of the shutters of Gayatri Jewellery shop, owned by Anumalasetty Srikanth and located at Pedda Bazar of Kandukuru town and decamped with Rs 56.28 lakh worth gold ornaments and some cash. Before committing this theft, the accused robbed a house in Tanguturu town on Friday.

The SP said that based on the complaint lodged by the victims, police kept special vigil over the moments of the accused and nabbed them while trying to sell gold ornaments in Vijayawada on Sunday. During interrogation, the duo admitted of their crimes at various places.

The SP has advised gold traders to install CCTV cameras at their shop as it will be easy for police to identify culprits.

Kandukuru DSP Srinivas, CI Venkateswara Rao Rural SI Mahendra Naik and others were present.