The arrest of the suspects, Haladu Idris, Mohammed
Zakari and Manniru Umaru, 27, caused traders in the metropolis to pop
champagne.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the
Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT.
According to
police, the gang specialised in breaking into shops, boutiques and electronic
show rooms. They target shops located along Constitution Road, Central Market,
Ahmadu Bello Way, Sokoto Road, Abeokuta Road, Junction road and other areas in
the state.
According to the suspects, they have stolen goods
worth over N20million from several shops. They sold most of the goods to Yahaya
Umaru, Musa Ibrahim and Bashiru Musa, at giveaway prices.
The gang has also stolen 10 English Dogs from it
owners in Banarawa and Jamaru areas of Kaduna. They sold each of the dogs for
N100, 000.
Investigators discovered that the men had also
broken into shops, where cables are sold at Abeokuta road, stealing cables
valued N5 million.
They gang met its waterloo after it broke into
Chizon Plaza, a popular store where expensive mobile phones are sold. They
carted away 228 pieces of assorted mobile phones, valued N15million on November
26, 2016.
The owner of the Plaza, Cyprian Obi, reported the burglary
to Sabogari Police Station. The matter was transferred to the office of the IGP
for further investigation.
The IGP ordered
IRT, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Abba Kyari, to trail and
arrest all suspects involved in the burglary.
A police source said: “The operatives, through the
aid of advanced technology, tracked the user of one off the stolen phones to
Zamfara State. He was arrested. He confessed to have bought it from a store in
Royal Palaza. He led operatives to the plaza and the person who sold the phone
to him was arrested. The seller said he bought the phone from a receiver of
stolen goods. The receiver assisted the police in arresting all the robbers who
broke into Chizon Plaza.”
A source continued: “The gang uses diggers, pinches
and hammers to pull down walls of shops before burgling them. They admitted stealing
over 20 motorcycles from parks. They have also been to prison five times.”
One of the suspects, Umaru, said: “I joined the gang
last year. I met Haladu and Zakari in prison. I went to prison because I stole
seven motorcycles. The three of us were in the same cell. We just were discussing
when I told them that stealing motorcycles made me to become a guest in prison.
They told me that motorbike stealing didn’t bring quick money.
“I left prison before them. When they were released,
they came to look for me. We broke into a shop at Banawa area and stole three plasma
television sets. We also stole stabilizers. We sold the goods for N70, 000. We burgled a shop along Sokoto Road, where we
stole 29 pieces of expensive wrappers, laces, necklaces and wristwatches.”
During sharing of the loots, Umaru was given eight
pieces of wrappers, three gold necklaces and three gold wristwatches.
The suspect, who said he didn’t know the necklaces
were gold, said he sold each for N500.
He also said: “I also sold one of the wristwatches
for N3000. I kept one for myself and gave the last to a friend. I also didn't
know that the wristwatches were gold. I sold the wrappers for N1500 each
without knowing they were highly expensive.”
He further narrated: “My third operation was at
Chizon Plaza, Ahmadu Bello Central Market. We stole 228 phones. I was given 73 pieces
as my share. I sold 40 pieces to Yahaya Umar. He gave me N300, 000. I also sold
three pieces of the phones to one Ejike. He paid me N42, 000. I sold the rest to a gang member, Mohammed.
He gave me N30, 000 because I needed money.”
He added: “I was arrested after the police apprehended
one Musa, whom Mohammed sold his share of the phones to. He took the police to my
place and I was arrested. I have been to
prison five times. Each time I was arrested and taken to prison, I get bailed.
If I don’t get bailed, my cases are often discharged from the court.”
Haledu Idris, 39, described as the leader of the
gang, explained that he formed the gang 10 years ago after quitting his shoemaking
business.
Idris said: “I was a cobbler. I went into stealing 10 years ago. I started
with stealing motorcycles. I got Zakari,
who was my customer involved. I convinced him that we could make good money
from stealing. We stole over seven motorcycles together and sold them between
N40, 000 and N50, 000. We still needed more money, so I suggested we should go into
burgling of shops.”
Recalling the burgling of shops at Constitution road,
Idris, said: “We stole all the expensive wrappers and laces in the shop. It was
just Zakari and I that did that job. We sold the goods for N36000. After then, we went to another shop where
they sell sport wears near stadium. We stole all the goods in the shop. We
shared the loots equally. I sold mine for N55000 and Zakari sold his for N75,
000. We also burgled a shop at Kontogora Road. We made away with seven plasma
television sets. We sold all for N106, 000.”
The two men also broke into a sports betting shop on
Junction Road. They carted away everything in the shop.
They confessed to have also broken into LG Show Room
along Constitution Road, where they stole over 10 phones and N400, 000.
After leaving there, they headed to Samsung Show
Room, along the same road. They stole three laptop computers and N100, 000.
Idris said: “Our next operation was at a sports
betting shop, at Orukopata area. We were arrested when people heard a noise while
we were attempting to burgle the shop. We were taken to Magaji-Geri Police
Station. We were charged to court and remanded in prison. We spent eight months in prison. We later got
bailed. We've had over seven cases across seven courts, within Kaduna. Some courts
granted us bail, while others set us free.”
No comments:
Post a Comment