A former prisoner at the Nalgonda jail was booked in eight cases of house-breaking and theft, and ₹17 lakh worth gold and silver articles were seized from him, the Nalgonda one-town police said on Wednesday.
Vangala Saidulu, a resident of Kethepally mandal, had a history of stealing and had served his punishment. Displaying good conduct, he has since been working at the food court outside the district jail, being maintained by the prison authority
Presenting the accused before media persons, the police said the 27-year-old targeted locked houses and used an iron rod to break in.
The police probe into the thefts began in August, when an aggrieved resident of Chaitanyapuri colony reported missing of gold articles and about ₹8 lakh from his house, Inspector N. Suresh said.
Apart from several residential colonies in the town, the accused had targeted houses in Munugode, Nakrekal and Shaligowraram. Including a theft in 2019, he was involved in nine instances this year, the police said.
“He had presented himself as a reformed prisoner, but continued with theft, even while working in the store just outside the prison and at the fuel-filling station,” the police said.
