Hyderabad: Afzalgunj police apprehended a gold ornaments theft accused and recovered 17 tulas of stolen jewellery, cracking a case registered earlier this month.
Police arrested Annareddy Venkata Siva Reddy, 35, a resident of Budhwarapeta in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. He worked in a private job and allegedly targeted passengers travelling in private buses.
Gold ornaments theft case cracked with recovery
The Afzalgunj police registered Crime No.153/2026 under Section 303(2) of BNS. The case followed a complaint from D.S. Keerthana, a doctor at Sindhu Hospital in Hitech City.
She stated that she boarded a Meena Travels sleeper bus on April 12 at 10:30 PM from Srikantam Circle in Anantapur. The bus later halted at Dhone. It then reached MGBS Hyderabad at 6:00 AM on April 13.
When the driver alerted passengers on arrival, she woke up and found her gold ornaments missing. The stolen items included a long haram, mangalsutram, gold chain with pendant, bangles, and ear and finger rings, weighing about 20 tulas. She searched the bus and asked co-passengers. However, she could not find the jewellery and suspected theft.
Gold ornaments theft accused tracked through CCTV
Police teams launched an investigation immediately after registering the complaint. Officers examined CCTV footage and conducted field enquiries. As a result, they traced and apprehended the accused.
Police recovered 17 tulas of gold ornaments. These included a long haram, mangalsutram, chain with pendant, bangles, and rings.
During questioning, the accused admitted to committing thefts on buses. He boarded a private bus from Anantapur on the night of April 12. Later, he searched the bags of sleeping passengers and stole valuables. He then got down at Jadcherla and kept the ornaments for disposal.
Investigators found that he was addicted to alcohol and betting. He also sought money for a lavish lifestyle. Therefore, he targeted passengers travelling at night.
Records showed his involvement in multiple past cases across Andhra Pradesh, including theft and house-breaking offences.
Gold ornaments theft accused has prior cases
Police confirmed that the accused had earlier cases in Anantapur, Kurnool, Vijayawada, and Kadapa districts. These included offences under IPC sections related to theft and house-breaking, as well as cases under the AP Gaming Act.
Senior officers supervised the operation. DCP G. Chandra Mohan, Additional DCP Krishna Goud, and ACP S. Sudarshan monitored the investigation.
The DCP appreciated the efforts of the Afzalgunj police team, including SHO N. Mohan Rao and Detective Inspector B. Ravi Kiran, along with other staff members. Officials stated that the team would receive rewards for solving the case.