Godstime Simon, Yenagoa
Operatives of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Security Service (BSVSS) have apprehended an 18-year-old boy, Promise Okpo, over alleged burglary and stealing of mobile phones worth N1m.
It was learnt that the suspect, a native of Okordia community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state, allegedly burgled a shop at Akums Plaza, Kpansia, at about 11am on Sunday and made away with brand new mobile phones of different brands.
The chairman, BSVSS, Hon. Doubiye Alagba, confirmed the development, disclosing that the suspect is a staffer working in another shop inside the plaza.
Alagba said upon interrogation and investigation, it was discovered that the suspect cut into the shop using a soul-cutting blade and made his way into the shop and successfully carted away the phones and other items such as wireless head gears, phone accessories and receipts.
According to him, the suspect was arrested by a team of Bayelsa Vigilante operatives while trying to sell the phones and it was discovered the receipts were not his.
“We urge shopowners to be security conscious; they should possibly employ external security services to secure their business places at night and weekends,” he stated.
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 member of one of the companies operating in the plaza.
Ongolo 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 sleek phones that he stole.”
The suspect, it was gathered, had been handed over to the state security outfit, ‘Operation Doo Akpo’ for further investigation and interrogation.