Vizianagaram Police arrests a man for the Durga Devi Temple burglary

On Monday, Vizianagaram police unraveled the Durga Devi Temple burglary. A fortnight ago, gold and cash went missing from the temple located at Dwarapudi in Vizianagaram District. In the fall of events, the Vizianagaram police arrested 28-year-old Gollapalli Prasad, a native of Rangarayapuram village in Bobbili Mandal, of Vizianagaram District. 

According to Vizianagaram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), P Anil, the thief struck the main door temple lock on 14 August 2021, and stole gold ornaments, weighing over 12 grams, and Rs. 5,000 in cash. 

Since this incident on 14 August 2021, the police had been on the lookout and formed a special team to catch him. They finally nabbed the culprit when he was trying to sell the ornaments from the temple burglary in Vizianagaram Town. 

Similar incidents of ornaments & valuables being stolen from temples, and residential properties, have been on a rise in Andhra Pradesh. 

In June 2021, a massive gold robbery took place at a house in Jagannadhapuram Colony in the Akkayyapalem area of Visakhapatnam. The thief absconded with Rs. 3 lakh cash and 27 tula worth of gold ornaments. 

In March 2021, the famous Karakachettu Polamamba Temple in the Pedda Waltair region reported a burglary of valuables worth Rs. 9,25,000. Reportedly, 350 grams of gold ornaments, including the gold crown of the Goddess, and 4 kg of silver were stolen. In a peculiar case, even though there were 17 CCTV cameras in the temple, the accused had damaged the cameras and took away the storage devices. The Visakhapatnam city police have had formed five special teams to investigate the case. After a month into the investigation, police arrested a father and his two sons in this temple burglary case.