Police have arrested Sanjay Kumar (32), a notorious inter-state burglar, in connection with a house break-in at Mallaru. A native of Gandhinagar in Somwarpet, Kodagu, Sanjay was residing in a rented house at Bharat Nagar, Uliyargoli, while evading over 20 arrest warrants related to his criminal activities across Karnataka.
The targeted residence belonged to a woman currently working in Saudi Arabia, and was temporarily unoccupied. Sanjay, suspecting valuables inside, broke in during the early hours between 3–4 AM, stealing ₹5,000 in cash and four luxury watches worth Rs60,000.
The crime came to light on May 1, when the homeowner’s relative, Imran, returned from Saudi Arabia and reviewed CCTV footage showing the burglar forcibly entering the house, ransacking cupboards, and fleeing with the stolen items.
Kaup Police, acting swiftly on the complaint, linked the break-in to Sanjay Kumar, who already had 36 theft cases registered against him—including 27 in Somwarpet, and others in Virajpet Rural, Suntikoppa, Mysuru, Channarayapatna, Kushalnagar, and Arkalgud.
During a raid at his hideout in Bharat Nagar, police recovered the stolen watches and a black Bajaj Pulsar bike used during the theft. The operation was executed under CPI Jayashree Mane, with SI Tejaswi, Head Constable Narayan, and Constable Raghu leading the arrest.
Sanjay had been evading arrest for a long time, despite numerous pending warrants. Authorities are now investigating his possible involvement in other unsolved thefts across Karnataka.
