Three tricycle riders have been arrested by policemen in Ogun State Police Command for allegedly conspiring together to steal 300 bags of cement from the warehouse of Sandtrust quarry company.
The names of the suspects were given as Lawal Bidemi AbdulRaheem, Olalekan Azeez and Opeloyeru Kayode.
According to the command’s police image-maker, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement on Sunday, June 27, the suspects were arrested following a report lodged at Awa Ijebu divisional headquarters by a staff of the company who reported that he saw some people in a bush very close to the quarry, loading cement into their tricycles.
Oyeyemi further stated that the staff said that the bags of cement were suspected to have been stolen from the company’s warehouse.
He said that this made the DPO, CSP Adewalehinmi Joshua, to mobilize his patrol team and moved to the scene.
On sighting the policemen, the suspects took to their heels, but were pursued, with three among them apprehended.
“On interrogation, the three suspects confessed to have stolen the bags of cement from the warehouse of Sandtrust quarry, and that they used their tricycles to convey them to the bush, from where they were taken it to the buyers in batches. They confessed further that they have sold parts of the stolen bags of cement to their customers before they were caught.
“Fifty-one bags of cement were recovered from them in the bush, while another 20 bags were recovered from one of the buyers.
“The three tricycles used for the operation were also impounded,” the PPRO noted.
Thenewsbearer learnt that the suspects, who were arrested on June 2, were granted administrative bail pending when the strike embarked upon by the judicial staff workers would be called off, so that they could be arraigned in court.
However, they allegedly jumped bail and accused the DPO of demanding bribe from them.
They said that their refusal made the DPO not to release their tricycles.
The PPRO said that they were subsequently traced to their hideout in Ijebu Ode, where they were re-arrested on Saturday, June 26.
In his comment, the Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun ordered that the suspects be charged to court without further delay.
He also directed that other accomplices, as well as their buyers, be hunted for and brought to justice.
