Hyderabad: Hyderabad police have detained a 25-year-old woman accused of orchestrating a series of break-ins at vacant residences across the city, making off with valuables reportedly worth close to Rs 70 lakh.
The suspect, identified as Paga Jaya, has been linked by investigators to five separate theft complaints. According to police, her alleged haul included gold and silver jewellery, cash, and an iPhone 17—items later recovered during the probe.
Police claim Jaya taught herself techniques for forcing entry into locked homes through online videos, reportedly keeping this activity hidden from her husband.
During the alleged offences, she is said to have dressed in a full black burqa, covered her hands with gloves, and carried a light-blue backpack to avoid being recognised, as reported by NDTV.
CCTV recordings reportedly captured one attempted intrusion. In the footage, a woman whose face and body are completely concealed approaches a locked residence and tries to gain access. Unable to force the door open, she reportedly abandons the attempt and leaves the premises.
Investigators believe the alleged crimes were driven not by necessity but by a desire to sustain an expensive lifestyle.
In an unrelated but similarly striking case, police arrested a man named Naveen in connection with ten burglaries allegedly committed over just 20 days. He was reportedly found in possession of approximately 37 tolas of gold ornaments—roughly 430 grams.
Authorities say inquiries into both arrests are ongoing. The focus now is on determining whether the accused were involved in additional unsolved burglaries and whether they had accomplices or connections to other theft networks operating in the region.