Police claimed to have achieved a breakthrough in a series of thefts at places of worship, with the arrest of six inter-district offenders at Kaligiri in Nellore district.
Police recovered Panchaloha idols of Sri Devi, Bhoodevi and Achyuta Swamy worth over ₹1 lakh, ₹10,000 in cash and an auto-rickshaw reportedly used by the accused to commit the offence at five places of worship in Kaligiri, Kaluvoya and Varikondapadu mandals.
Special teams formed by Superintendent of Police Ch. Vijaya Rao probed the thefts at the places of worship and nabbed the alleged offenders at Kaligiri late on Monday who had struck at the centuries-old Achyuta temple among other places.
The offenders had also struck at places of worship in three places in neighbouring Kadapa district and two places in Prakasam district, Mr. Vijaya Rao told reporters on Tuesday.
The accused were identified as Sk. Lal Basha (32), S. Balu (28), D. Pollaiah (35), D. Penchaliah (35), T. Gangadhar (38) and S. Praveen Kumar (40).
An investigation by the police revealed that the idol-lifters used to conduct a recce a few days before committing the crime. They would break into places of worship situated in remote areas late in the night and would decamp with money stolen from the hundi and other valuables, including antique idols.
The SP congratulated the police personnel for efficiently conducting the investigation with the latest investigation tools.