We Switch Off Generators So Owners Will Open Doors — Robbery Suspect

Police in Lagos have arrested two suspects who
specialise in switching off power generating sets
at midnight to gain easy entry into apartments
when the owners come out to inspect the cause
of power cut.
The suspects confessed to being responsible for
series of operations around Ikorodu area of the
state. However, one of them, Isaac Ogbonna,
blamed his resort to crime on his inability to
raise money for his ailing sister’s medical bill.
The 27-year-old Ogbonna, who lamented that his
business folded as a result of the economic
recession, said: “I could not stand and watch my
elder sister die. I have been living with her since
I came back from Enugu, after my business
folded up.
“She has been sick and I had donated blood
twice, yet the sickness persisted. At first we
brought in a nurse who treated her and collected
N9,000. But there was no improvement. We had
to take her to the hospital where we were told
to deposit N20,000.
“I approached one of my friends, Ishola Dede,
(pointing to his partner in crime), who assured
me that he would help me raise the money
because my sister had once shown him
kindness.
“He introduced me to two other persons, Ishola
and Sadiq, at a drinking joint. Our plan was to
attack any house that still has its power
generating set on after midnight.
“Last Monday, we stormed a house at Ogolonto;
we jumped the fence and put off the power
generating set. A man came out with a torch
light to inspect what was wrong and we pointed
a gun at him and followed him into his
apartment.
“We collected laptops, phones and N80,000. As
we were about leaving, Sadiq requested for the
car keys, but we told him to forget about it since
it was not part of the plan.
“Our plan was to raid about 10 houses. But he
insisted and went away with the car, saying the
amount would cover what we would get in 10
houses.
“Next day, he told us to meet at a hotel and that
he had sold the car, unknown to us policemen
had traced the car through the tracking device.
“Unfortunately, I was told this morning, after I
was arrested, that my sister died a day before.
All my efforts have been in vain.”