Accused involved in 150+ house burglaries; detained under PD Act twice before; confesses to four recent cases
Hyderabad – Bandlaguda Police have arrested a notorious habitual offender with a history of over 150 house burglary cases and recovered 10 tulas of gold ornaments and 10 tulas of silver ornaments valued at Rs.10 lakh.
Case Registration and Investigation
Based on a complaint by Smt. Shawanaz Mirza, resident of Quba Colony, regarding a house theft, a case was registered as Cr. No. 306/2025 under Sections 305, 331(4) BNS-2023 at Bandlaguda Police Station.
Accused with Extensive Criminal History
During investigation, Bandlaguda Police apprehended Mohammed Saleem @ Sunil Shetty @ Ibrahim @ Setty Saleem (52 years), resident of Ali Nagar, Balapur.
The accused has an extensive criminal record:
- Involvement in over 150 house burglary cases
- Detained under the Preventive Detention (P.D.) Act in 2018 (PS Kanchanbagh)
- Again detained under P.D. Act in 2021 (PS Falaknuma)
- Last released from jail in August 2025
- Immediately resumed criminal activities after release
Confession and Recovery
Upon interrogation, the accused confessed to:
- Three house burglary cases in Bandlaguda Police Station jurisdiction
- One case in Balapur Police Station jurisdiction
Based on his confession, police recovered:
- 10 tulas of gold ornaments
- 10 tulas of silver ornaments
- Total value: Rs.10,00,000
Police Team Commended
The detection and recovery were carried out under the supervision of:
- Addl. DCP Sri Srikanth
- ACP Sri A. Sudhakar
- SHO Sri R. Devender
SI Sri K. Yadaiah and the crime team were commended for their prompt action and investigative skills in cracking the case and recovering the stolen property.
Pattern of Habitual Offending
The case highlights the challenge of habitual offenders who, despite multiple arrests and even preventive detention, return to criminal activities immediately upon release. The accused’s pattern of resuming house burglaries within months of his August 2025 release demonstrates the need for more effective rehabilitation and monitoring systems.
Property Return
The recovered gold and silver ornaments will be returned to the rightful owners after completing legal formalities, bringing relief to victims who had lost their valuables.
The swift action by Bandlaguda Police has prevented further burglaries and ensured that a serial offender has been taken off the streets.
