Chennai cops nab Bengaluru’s most notorious burglar

Police said 32-year-old Karthik and his associate Bharath Kumar (39), both natives of Bengaluru, were arrested in connection with a burglary at a house in R block, 15th Street in Anna Nagar on January 13. The two broken into the house of one A Natarajan when the residents were away and took away with eight sovereigns and Rs 4 lakh.

The two were arrested from New Avadi Road, police sources said, adding that they recovered 64 sovereigns worth more than Rs 20 lakh and Rs 10.5 lakh cash from the duo. Officials suspect that the two were involved in at least five other burglaries in and around Anna Nagar.

The police here had tracked the suspects with the help of CCTV footage and also with the info from Bengaluru police.

Karthik got the nickname ‘Escape’ after managing to escape twice from the custody of Bengaluru police and once from the jail. Sources said he escaped from the jail more than 12 years ago by hiding in a van that came inside the prison premises to deliver food for inmates.

His first offence was at the age of 16 and has so far committed more than 70 house breaks. He was jailed more than a dozen times, but has also been leading a high-flying life in the last decade, sources said.