A Hyderabad-based software professional, Acchi Mahesh Reddy alias Sunny from Kakinada, was arrested by Vizag police on February 7 for his role in 26 night-time house burglaries. Authorities seized gold, silver, and other valuables worth more than Rs. 15 lakh. Vizag Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crimes), K. Lata Madhuri, said the accused targeted houses after the Sankranti festival and had committed similar crimes last year. Police tracked the accused using technical evidence and CCTV footage and caught him near Arch Road in Gajuwaka. They recovered 699 grams of gold, 3.8 kg of silver, a BMW car bought with stolen money, and various burglary tools. "He smartly ensured that he did not leave fingerprints or any other evidence at the crime scene," DCP Madhuri said. The thief worked mainly at night and may have scouted the houses during the day, though he has not admitted this. The two-wheeler used in the crimes belonged to a man named Mahesh, who was unaware of its misuse. The case first opened when a Gajuwaka resident filed a complaint in October 2025 after his house was broken into. The police linked the accused to break-ins across Gajuwaka, Arilova, Malkapuram, Pendurthi, and Duvvada areas. In these 26 cases, more than 1,080 grams of gold, nearly 6,333 grams of silver, and cash worth Rs. 40,500 were stolen. The total estimated loss is about Rs. 25 lakh. DCP Madhuri revealed the accused has a criminal record dating back to when he first went to juvenile jail at age 15 in Kakinada. "We will open a rowdy sheet against him here as a DC sheet already exists in Kakinada. For now, he has been placed under preventive detention for one year," she added.