Chittoor cops crack gold theft case, arrest 7

Chittoor: The Chittoor police cracked the Bangarupalem gold theft case and took seven persons into custody and recovered 4.3 kg gold worth Rs 1.3 crore from their possession. 

Gold jewellery weighing 5.25 kg was stolen from a private travel bus going to Bengaluru from Visakhapatnam at Nandi Food Plaza in Bangarupalem in the district on December 8.  Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday district SP Vikranth Patil said one Bhavesh, a gold merchant of Maharashtra used to supply gold ornaments to various retail  shops through his agents. 

A notorious gang of thieves from Maharashtra followed one of his agents from Visakhapatnam and boarded the bus along with him to Bengaluru. The gang stole the gold at Bangarupalem  when the bus was stopped for refreshments to passengers.  On receiving a complaint on the missing gold, district police deputed special police teams were to Kadapa, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam,  Bengaluru and Maharashtra. 

On December 18, on receiving a tip-off, Palamaner police conducted a vehicle check and intercepted a Scorpio vehicle on Punganur-Mulbagal road. On seeing the police, the seven inmates of the vehicle tried to flee but were caught. futile effort to escape.

The police caught the fleeing persons and recovered 4.3 kg gold jewellery from the vehicle. One of the arrested is Chandhu Gundibha Sukhale alias Chandu Sukhale, 35, of  Sharanvadi village, Paranda taluk, Usmanbad district, Maharashtra. He is the gang leader and was a member of Dasarathpowar earlier. 

A gold theft case was registered against him at Vijayawada Crime Police station in the past. The others accused are Shivajirama Dikule, 32, Sathish Ramdas Sukhale, 25, Ramdas Burrappa Powar, 45, Chagan Gundiba Sukhale, 42 and Arjunram Jadav, 40, Ramarao Sukhale, 34 belonging to Usmanabad and Sholapur districts of Maharashtra.

SP Vikranth Patil appreciated the efforts of additional SP Krishna Rao, DSPs N T V Ramkumar, Ramakrishna, , CIs Srinivas, Mehesh, Srinivas, Somasekhar Rushikesav, Sainath and others for in nabbing the suspects.