By Nchetachi Chukuwajah
A man, simply identified as Francis, caught by operatives of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service with 17 stolen phones at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa, the venue of Governor Douye Diri’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he travelled from Rivers State to carry out the act.
The suspect, arrested on Monday, November 3, said he took advantage of the crowd to steal the phones from unsuspecting persons.
He was apprehended after a special tactical squad of the vigilante outfit closely monitored his movements.
According to the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service, 17 mobile phones, N91,000 cash, and multiple ATM cards were recovered from his bag after searching it.
In his preliminary confession, Francis said he was working with an accomplice who narrowly escaped arrest.
The suspect further revealed that they had already stolen over N400,000 before he was arrested by the security operatives, adding that his fleeing partner possessed additional stolen phones.
The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service, Doubiye Alagba, who personally led the operation, handed the suspect over to officers of Operation Puff Adder of the Bayelsa State Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.
Alagba warned criminal elements to stay away from the state, stressing that his men are well-trained in intelligence gathering, behavioural monitoring and crowd surveillance to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
