Sangareddy Police arrest serial house burglar
Sangareddy : A habitual house burglar allegedly involved in 106 criminal cases was arrested in a joint operation by the Sangareddy Central Crime Station (CCS) and Gummadidala police. Police seized 22.5 tolas of gold ornaments, 60 tolas of silver ornaments and ₹25,000 in cash from the accused. He has been remanded to judicial custody.
Addressing a press conference at the Sangareddy District Police Office on Tuesday, Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj said the accused, Kotapalli Chandri alias Shekhar, was wanted in 80 old cases and 26 recent house-breaking cases.
Long criminal history
Police said special teams were formed to investigate a series of house burglaries reported across the district. During the joint operation, CCS and Gummadidala police apprehended the accused.
According to the investigation, the accused has allegedly been committing night-time house burglaries since 2007 by breaking locks, stealing gold ornaments and other valuables, and either selling or pledging the stolen property through known contacts. Police alleged that he used the proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle.
The accused has criminal cases registered in Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar and Rangareddy districts. These include 80 earlier cases, one Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case registered at Medchal police station and 26 recent burglary cases.
Police said he had been sent to judicial remand 19 times and was released on bail on several occasions. He has also been convicted in more than 25 cases but allegedly continued committing similar offences.
Burglaries resumed after bail
Police said Medipally police arrested him in 2024 and he spent around 14 months in Cherlapally Central Jail. He was released on bail on October 17, 2025, and allegedly resumed house burglaries within three days.
Investigators said the accused typically identified locked or isolated houses after checking whether lights, fans or air-conditioners were running. He allegedly entered through the rear of houses, particularly those with open spaces or vegetation behind them, left the rear door open to facilitate escape and remained hidden in nearby bushes until daybreak before fleeing.
Police said the accused allegedly committed 26 house burglaries during the past eight months. These include seven cases under Miyapur police station, three under Gummadidala, three under Medipally, two each under Dundigal, Pocharam IT Corridor and Patancheru police stations, one under Hatnoor police station and one each under Abdullapurmet, IDA Bollaram, Vanasthalipuram, Genome Valley, Shamirpet and Keesara police stations.
Investigators said part of the stolen gold ornaments had been sold, some pledged for loans and the remaining property retained by the accused. The money obtained from the sales was allegedly spent on personal expenses.
Acting on credible information, the joint police team apprehended the accused near Bonthapalli village on July 7, 2026, and produced him before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
The arrested accused has been identified as Kotapalli Chandri alias Shekhar, 31, son of Venkataiah, a car driver originally from Boyapalli Gate near the railway station in Mahabubnagar district. He is currently residing at Gagillapur village in Dundigal mandal of Medchal–Malkajgiri district.
Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj commended CCS Inspector V. Shivakumar, CCS Inspector Ch. Prasad Rao, Jinnaram Circle Inspector P. Ramana Reddy, CCS Sub-Inspector K. Srikanth, Gummadidala Sub-Inspector K. Arun Kumar and other personnel for solving the case. He said the operation was carried out under the supervision of Patancheru Sub-Divisional Police Officer Prabhakar.
