Bengaluru : A short prison stay led a habitual offender to commit over 50 burglaries. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) apprehended Prakash, a 44-year-old repeat offender. Prakash was taken into custody in 2006 for a suspected theft and was placed in judicial detention, where he encountered an interstate habitual criminal. While incarcerated, he befriended a fellow in mate who taught him a method to break locks using silver foil. Upon his release, Prakash began employing this technique.
He honed his skills through trial and error, requiring only 10 minutes to unlock any door with careful observation. Prakash possessed a variety of keys and would cover one with silver foil before inserting it into the lock's deadbolt. He surveyed the door lock, selected a key from his collection, and identified the one that matched the deadbolt's shape.
After comparing the key with the impressions on the foil, he cut it accordingly and gained entry. Targeting homes left unattended for extended periods, he roamed the city in search of potential targets. While his criminal record remains uncertain, the officer stated that Prakash had not been convicted of any crimes. In a recent burglary case reported at Bandepalya police station, Prakash was apprehended by the CCB's Organised Crime Wing in central Bengaluru's Cubbonpet.
He frequently changed locations to evade police detection. Upon his arrest, it was discovered that Prakash was on the habitual offenders list of HSR Layout and Mico Layout police stations. He had previously spent approximately two years behind bars. Having been recently released on bail for a house break-in theft, Prakash allegedly broke into six houses within 40 days before being arrested on May 5 based on a tip from a police informant. Law enforcement officials seized valuables worth Rs 27 lakh from Prakash.
