Evasive tyre thieves nabbed with help of CCTV footage

HYDERABAD: Mote Srikanth and Gullam Balakishan, who were arrested by Rachakonda police on Saturday for stealing alloy wheels and tyres of cars, had taken ample measures to evade the police and CCTV cameras. After every offence, the duo would take a different route to reach their hideout, leaving no trail for the police. However, evidence from a CCTV camera helped the police connect the dots and nab them.  

The accused would target vehicles parked in open places outside residential colonies. They would steal only two wheels or tyres of a vehicle in a particular colony and then move to the next colony. Never in their offences, they stole all four wheels or tyres of a vehicle. Police found that the duo could remove a wheel in just three minutes and flee. They would take home the loot, clean it and put it up for sale on OLX, an e-trading platform. After every offence, they would take a different route to return to their home in LB Nagar, to dodge avoid being captured by CCTV cameras.

The duo would sometimes return home via Habsiguda, Nacharam and Ghatkesar and Uppal, Medipally or take a inside route from Hayathnagar to reach their place. Police initially found some leads, but the duo kept police on their toes with their dodging techniques. But the police could finally track them using the same CCTV cameras.

The duo had committed 29 offences since September last year in different parts of the city, of which 22 were committed in 2021. After their arrest, the police recovered 47 tyres and wheels worth `2 lakh. The accused belonged to Peddaraavulapally village of Pochampally mandal in Yadadri Bhongir district.