Srikakulam district police have successfully dismantled a gang involved in stealing copper wires and components from agricultural transformers across the district. Announcing the breakthrough on Sunday, District Superintendent of Police K.V. Maheswara Reddy revealed that eight adults and two juveniles were arrested in Ranasthalam mandal, in connection with 33 theft cases affecting 53 transformers in JR Puram, Etcherla, Laveru, G. Sigadam, and Kogunuru police jurisdictions.
The police seized stolen property worth approximately Rs1.5 crore, which included 350 kg of copper wire, 286 kg of copper ingots, and 5 kg of aluminum wire. The investigation began following a theft on November 1, when the gang targeted a 16 KVA transformer in Mahantipalem village, stealing 12 kg of copper wire.
The operation’s mastermind, 23-year-old Kuppili Varaprasad, an electrician, is believed to have recruited young men to assist in the thefts. The gang would then sell the stolen materials in Visakhapatnam and divide the proceeds among themselves. All those arrested have been charged under Section 303(2) of the BNS Act.
The police continue their investigation, aiming to put an end to transformer thefts in the district.
