I’m a thief not an armed robber - Suspect tells Police

A 43-year-old thief who was caught opening a warehouse in Community 12 in Tema to steal has told the police that he is just an ordinary thief and not an armed robber.

“I have never robbed before. I don’t rob. I only steal,” Dodzi Adonu told the Community 11 District Police Commander and Crime Officer.

Narrating how Adonu, an electrician and a resident of Ashaiman, was arrested, Community 11 District Police Commander, Superintendent Ben Wonkyi, said on January 19 this year, the security man of American Towers (ACI) warehouse confided in an informant that two young men approached him to negotiate with him and promised him a car and good money should he allow them to carry out an operation on January 21.

Superintendent Wonkyi said the informant relayed the news to the Community 11 District Police and the security man’s desire to get the police to arrest the two young men.

He explained that in order to get the suspects, the police gave the informant a mobile number to contact them on immediately the security man hinted him of the arrival of the suspects on the day of the operation,

At about 8pm on the scheduled day, Adonu and Razak Baba, who is presently on the run, patrolled the ACI warehouse and alerted the security man of their readiness to move in to carry out their operation.

The security man quickly alerted his informant, who subsequently flashed the mobile number, alerting regional night police patrol team, who arrived at the ACI warehouse where they met the security man tied and looking helpless as Adonu and Razak tried several keys to open the warehouse.

Superintendent Wonkyi said Razak managed to scale over a wall and bolted, but the patrol team was able to arrest Adonu. A search on him revealed a bunch of keys, hammers, screwdrivers and chisel.

When interrogated on how he got the bunch of keys he uses for his operation, Adonu claimed he picks any key he finds on the ground.

He told the police that where none of the keys could open a padlock, he and his accomplice use hammer, chisel and screwdriver to break padlocks to steal.

The District Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Belinda Banini, cautioned residents that only padlocks on doors or warehouses cannot provide enough security.

“In addition to their padlocks, residents must have a secured burglar proof and a lock on their doors in order to make it very difficult for thieves or robbers to break into their rooms,” she added.

Adonu, who is presently in police custody, is helping the police investigate his activities after which he would be charged and processed for court.