Two robbery suspects disguised as police officers have been nabbed by men of Imo State Police Command.
According to the command’s spokesman, Michael Abattam, the suspects were arrested after a distress call from a victim who identified one of the robbers that stole his car and money at gun point along Mbonu Street in Aladinma, Owerri, on July 18.
Abattam said the victim was robbed of his ash coloured Lexus 330 Jeep with registration number RLU 08 AH, forced into the booth and taken to a lonely place where the suspects dispossessed him of all his valuables.
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The suspects also used the victim’s cell phone to transfer the sum of N100,000.00 out of his bank account, said the police.
“The team immediately mobilized and stormed the scene and arrested one Goodness Chinaza ‘m’ aged 23yrs, residing at Aladinma Owerri, Imo State. On interrogation, he confessed being a member of a robbery gang and admitted robbing the victim. He then led police operatives to arrest Emeka Orji ‘m’ aka “COCO” aged 24yrs of the same address, while Julius Chigozie ‘m’ escaped. On further interrogation, they both revealed where they concealed the robbed vehicle at Rapour Hotel, Amakohia Owerri, lmo State. However, the vehicle was recovered at the station.
“Investigation revealed that the three suspects were residing in a quarter in Aladinma Owerri, where they broke into the apartment of a late Police Officer in the same quarters, stole his uniforms, bullet proof vests and other valuables. They started using the same to rob innocent citizens.
“Their modus operandi is that they dress up in the stolen uniform, block the road, checking vehicles as if they are genuine police officers. Once they see a flashy car, they will stop the driver, requesting for the vehicle particulars. In the bid of giving them the particulars, they will drag him out, put him in the booth of the car and zoom off to a safe place where they will rob the innocent victim. Sometimes, they end up kidnapping the victim for a ransom, until luck ran against them and they were arrested,” Abattam narrated.
He said on searching the suspects’ resistance, the police recovered one locally made double barrel shotgun, one jack knife, and police uniforms/bullet proof vests.