Balapur police cracked a house burglary case and recovered 14 tolas of stolen gold ornaments worth over ₹20 lakh after taking into custody a habitual offender with around 60 criminal cases pending against him.The accused was identified as Habib Mohammed alias Chotu, a resident of Shaheen Nagar, who police said is a seasoned offender involved in night-time burglaries.According to the police, a complaint regarding a burglary at Dream Lake Colony in Balapur was received on April 14. Following the complaint, Balapur police formed two teams to investigate the case using technical surveillance and by tracking known offenders and suspects.During the course of investigation, police noticed Habib Mohammed moving suspiciously within Balapur limits and took him into custody for questioning.During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to committing the burglary. Based on his statement, police recovered 14 tolas of gold ornaments valued at more than ₹20 lakh. Police also recovered a gold chain from a receiver identified as Mohammed Hussain. Investigators said Habib had allegedly handed over the chain to Hussain in exchange for ₹18,000. Published - May 29, 2026 08:45 pm IST