Unlikely criminal duo: Father-in-law, son-in-law behind series of thefts arrested in Odisha

An unusual and shocking theft racket involving a man and his son-in-law has been unearthed in Odisha’s Bolangir district. Police arrested the duo after months of investigation, exposing a carefully planned operation that relied on stealth, surveillance and evasion.

After nearly four months of sustained effort, Bolangir police arrested the accused duo from the Kopu police station area of Raigarh district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. The arrests have brought an end to a series of high-value thefts that had baffled investigators.

CCTV Footage Cracks the Case

The accused have been identified as Pramod Singh Nath and Prince Singh, who are related as father-in-law and son-in-law. Prince Singh, a native of Bihar, was staying at his father-in-law’s house. Living together, the duo allegedly planned and executed thefts across Odisha.

CCTV footage proved crucial in cracking the case. The visuals showed the accused conducting reconnaissance outside banks, identifying people carrying cash and following them before breaking into car boots to steal large sums of money.

“Our special squad arrested an inter-state robbery gang under the Bolangir Town Police Station limits. The accused have been identified as Pramod Kumar Singh and Prince Kumar Singh, who are related as father-in-law and son-in-law."

“Their modus operandi was to request people to withdraw money from banks, follow them discreetly and then steal the cash by breaking into their vehicles. In connection with this method, one case was registered on June 5, 2025, in Bolangir. Another incident took place on July 3, 2025, during Rath Yatra. The third case was reported on August 3, followed by a fourth case on December 8,” informed Abhilash G, SP, Bolangir.

"The duo was also involved in two similar robbery cases in Kalahandi district, and their movements were traced in Nuapada as well. After committing the crimes, they would deposit the stolen cash into their relatives’ bank accounts using nearby Cash Deposit Machines, in an attempt to avoid detection,” he added. 

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Clever Methods to Evade Police

According to police, the gang avoided using mobile phones to escape surveillance. After committing thefts, they would immediately deposit the stolen cash into relatives’ bank accounts through nearby ATMs to avoid being caught during police checks.

One Accused Still Absconding

While the father-in-law and son-in-law have been arrested, one of their associates managed to flee and remains absconding.

The arrest of the unusual criminal duo has surprised the public and marked a major success for Bolangir police, who dismantled one of the most calculated theft gangs of the year through persistence and technological evidence.