Private Guard Robbed Auto-shop Where He Worked

JEREMIAH Angbeye, a private guard with an auto-shop located in Ajah area of Lagos State is presently telling police detectives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja all he knows about the disappearance of five exotic cars from his company.

He is, however, not alone in this deal: eight others allegedly associated with the robbery are equally cooling their heels in police custody while the stolen cars have been recovered at different locations in Akwa Ibom State. In this interview with Crime Alert, the 29 year-old Jerry as he is popularly called by friends revealed how he nursed the criminal idea for a year before he finally hatched it after succeeding in co-opting one of his colleagues, two of his siblings and five others.

He admitted, like other arrested suspects, that it was the handiwork of the devil, and blamed it also on his ambition to get rich quick. Hear him: “Yes, I did mastermind the robbery. There is no need to tell lies anymore because I have reached the point of no return. I have been working as a guard for the company for four years without anything  to show for it.

“Then, early last year, I started planning how to steal some of the cars, sell them and make good money. But I did not know how to go about it because it would need more than one person. The first person I sold the idea to was Ugochukwu Justine, a relative of the chairman of the company, who is the logistics officer of the company and he agreed.

But our problem was how to get a ready buyer. At that point, I told two of my brothers; Augustine Angbeye and Saviour Angbeye, who promised to get me a buyer. Then one day, one IK Maduka called me on the phone to say that he had found someone in Akwa Ibom who was ready to buy the vehicles for N10million. So, I asked him to come with some drivers on May 19, 2012, which was a Saturday because I would be on night duty.

“At about 5.00 am, Maduka came with the drivers and I opened the gate for them, collected the car keys from where they were kept and gave it to them. They thereafter, drove five cars comprising two brand new Toyota  jeeps; one unit Corrolla 1.8 XLI; one unit Toyota Camry GL and one unit Toyota Camry LE out of the premises.”

Asked if he was the only guard on duty, he answered in the affirmative, but disclosed that a policeman was also attached to the company. But while the operation was going on,  the policeman according to him, was sleeping inside the office allocated to him. Asked if he drugged the policeman to facilitate the movement of the cars out of the premises, he shook his head in disagreement.

Management of the company as gathered, got wind of the missing cars on Monday and subsequently alerted the Area ‘J’ Commander, Mr Felix Vwamhi, who reportedly transferred the case to the Special Anti robbery Squad, Ikeja for further investigation.

Meanwhile, back at the auto-shop, one of the suspects and relative of the company’s chairman, Justine, was still reporting to duty while the alleged mastermind, Jerry bolted away, with the hope to start living his dream. However, that was never to be as Jerry was reportedly the first person to be arrested.

Jerry, according to spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ngozi Braid, was arrested in Ibadan and his confessional statement led to the arrest of other suspected members of the gang.

Asked what he was doing in Ibadan, Jerry replied: “After the vehicles were moved out of the premises, with Maduka promising to pay me N10million, I waited for three days for the money but did not see him. I then decided to go and hide in Ibadan, hoping he would bring the money there.

My share was supposed to be N3million while others were to share the balance of N7 Million. But while I was still expecting the money in my hiding place in Ibadan, some men came asking for me. I thought it was Maduka that sent them, only to discover that they were policemen.”

The next suspect to be arrested was Justine who was still manning his duty post at the auto shop. His arrest as gathered, threw everyone off balance. Crime Alert reliably gathered that it took operatives of SARs led by the Commander SP Abba Kyari  and the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of ‘J’ command, Felix Vwamhi more than a week to burst the syndicate, thereby recovering  the stolen vehicles in Akwa Ibom State.

One of the vehicles as gathered was involved in a road accident in Benin, Edo State, while the suspects were fleeing with it. Another one, a Toyota Camry was reportedly recovered with one of the suspects, Patrick who claimed its ownership. When asked to show proof of ownership, he reportedly brought out some vehicle particulars which were, however, discovered to be fake.

The Sales Operation Manager of Kunech company, Mr Isreal Udo Iruagbuchi, could not hide his joy at the recovery of the cars which he said are worth twice the amount the suspects intended to sell them. He, therefore, applauded the effort of the Police, saying: “the police surprised me because this is a total overhaul because we never knew we will be able to find the cars. We thank God and the entire Nigeria Police Force for prompt arrest and recovery of the cars.”

The suspects according to DSP Braid, would be charged to court. She also informed that one of the suspects, Ugochukwu, was receiving treatment in the hospital following discovery at the time of arrest that he had chronic ulcer. “He is presently responding to treatment and will soon be discharged,” she said.

TAKEN FROM THE VANGUARD