Hyderabad: The South Zone Task Force, with assistance from the Saidabad police, apprehended a notorious burglar and seized property worth Rs 16 lakh, including Rs 3.2 in cash, a bike, and gold ornaments weighing 370 gm, from him on Monday.
The arrest was made during regular vehicle checkings in Saidabad when the accused was pulled over for questioning and was identified as the notorious burglar Shankar.
Mantri Shankar, alias Shivanna, a 58-year-old auto-rickshaw driver from Secunderabad, has been accused of involvement in over 250 house burglaries. He was recently placed on the list of most-wanted offenders by the commissionerates of Hyderabad and Rachakonda.
Shankar was previously arrested and released in October 2017, after which he went on a burglary-spree along with his associate Obaid, a rowdysheeter registered at Kalapathar police station.
Shankar is known to be an expert at picking locks. It is said that it takes him only three seconds to break into a home. He was first accused of theft and arrested in December 1979, when he was 20-years-old. Upon his release, he quickly returned to his wayward ways and was arrested again while trying to dispose of stolen property.
“He changes his attire based on the locality in which he is committing offences. Earlier, he would use a car and don the attire of a working professional, complete with a tie and formal shoes,” said Mr Rao.
The property recovered from Mantri Shankar has been handed over to the Saidabad Police and further probe is on.
