An eighteen-year-old boy, Promise Okpo, has been arrested by men of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Security Service over alleged burglary and theft of mobile phones worth one million naira.
The development was confirmed by the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service, Hon. Doubiye Alagba, who said the culprit is a native of Okordia community in Yenagoa Local Government area of the state.
NIGERIACRIME learnt that Okpo allegedly burgled a shop at Akums Plaza located at Kpansia at about 11am last Sunday and made away with brand new mobile phones of different brands.
According to Alagba, the suspect is a staff working in another shop inside the plaza.
The suspect was said to have cut into the shop using blade, made his way into the shop and successfully carted away the phones and other items like wireless head gears, phone accessories, including receipts.
However, luck ran out of him when a team of Bayelsa Vigilante operatives suspected a foul play when he was trying to sell the phone.
Alagba said men of the vigilante discovered the receipts were not for the accused then arrested him immediately.
He urged shop owners to be security conscious and to employ external security services to secure their business place at night and weekends.
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Confirming the incident, a former Chief of Staff to Bayelsa State Government, Rt. Hon. Talford Ongolo, who is the owner of the Akums Plaza shopping mall, disclosed that the suspect is a staff of one of the companies operating in the plaza.
He said “the internal security men stationed at the plaza were a bit relaxed to monitor his activities and so he took advantage of them.
“The suspect took advantage of the familiarity with the security men and was able to overwhelm their system and successfully stole those items. I commend the vigilance of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service for apprehending him and recovering those phones that he stole.”
He commended state Governor, Senator Douye Diri for maintaining an impressive record in terms of security in the state.
“The huge investment by the state government in all the security outfits is worth it,” Ongolo stated.
Meanwhile the suspect has been handed over to Operation Don-Akpo security outfit for further investigations.