Techie turned serial burglar arrested for 60 plus thefts

 

By Sumesh Rajan | February 9, 2026

Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA: The Visakhapatnam police have arrested a 27-year-old former software professional for allegedly carrying out a series of house burglaries across Andhra Pradesh to fund a lavish lifestyle.

The accused, identified as Achhi Mahesh Reddy, also known as Sunny, was taken into custody on Sunday February 8 following months of investigation triggered by repeated complaints of night time break-ins in various parts of the city.

According to the police, Sunny, a postgraduate and former employee of a reputed IT firm in Hyderabad, had been living in the Madhavadhara area of Visakhapatnam. Despite his educational background and professional experience, he allegedly turned to crime to support an expensive lifestyle that included owning a luxury BMW car and making multiple foreign trips.

Following his arrest, the police were able to crack 26 house break-in cases reported from areas including Gajuwaka, Arilova, Malkapuram, Pendurthi, and Duvvada.

Investigations revealed that the accused had stolen jewellery and cash worth approximately ₹24.66 lakh, including over 1,084 grams of gold, more than 6,300 grams of silver, and ₹40,500 in cash.

During the arrest, police recovered about 699 grams of gold ornaments, 3.8 kilograms of silver ornaments, the luxury BMW allegedly purchased using stolen money, an unregistered scooter, and burglary tools. The recovered property is estimated to be worth over ₹15.63 lakh.

Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police Shanka Brata Bagchi said that Sunny’s involvement in criminal activities dated back to his teenage years. At the age of 15, he was caught in house-breaking cases under the PM Palem police station limits and was sent to a juvenile home.

After his release, he allegedly continued committing burglaries in areas such as Kakinada, Sarapavaram, Ramachandrapuram, Indrapalem, and Rajahmundry, and later served 14 months in Rajahmundry Central Jail. Police records indicate that he has been involved in more than 60 burglary cases across the state.

Investigators said the accused used masks, caps, and gloves to conceal his identity and employed tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, and drilling machines to break into houses.

He has been booked in all related cases, and the police are preparing charge sheets for prosecution as the investigation continues. Authorities are also probing whether he had any accomplices and are working to recover more stolen property linked to previous offences.