Bhubaneswar: Days after a burglary was reported from a city house on July 31, city police recovered the stolen gold and diamond ornaments, besides other valuables, from Nellore city in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, even as the interstate thief from Uttarakhand managed to flee.One Prittam Kumar Jena had lodged a complaint in this regard on Aug 1, stating that his family returned home late at night to find the main door’s lock broken and valuables missing. Police deployed the dog squad and forensic team to collect evidence. Investigators examined CCTV camera footage, analysed technical inputs and engaged human intelligence sources, and finally their pursuit led them to Nellore city, where the stolen articles were seized from a hotel. The accused, identified as Manoj Singh of Uttarakhand, remains absconding.Police said Singh, a professional interstate criminal, is known for operating alone, frequently changing cities, staying in luxury hotels, and avoiding digital transactions. “His modus operandi involved targeting locked houses at night using heavy cutters and screwdrivers. Singh has a history of incarceration, including stints in Tihar and Secunderabad jails,” police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said.Police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend Singh.The recovered items include a large gold necklace, broken diamond necklace, diamond rings, earrings, nose pins, gold chains, a broken gold Jagannath idol, pendants and Rs 15,000 cash.
