The police have arrested a security guard, Thomas Olem, for alleged burglary of his former boss’ office in a hotel on Addo Road, Infinity Estate, Ajah, Lagos.
The Cross River State indigene reportedly gained entry into the office through the window. He allgedly stole a television set, money, a Nokia phone and a printer, among other items.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Olem had wanted to escape with his loot when a worker, who wanted to pick a letterhead in the office, stumbled on him and raised the alarm.
The suspect was handed over to the police at the Lamgbasa division.
Our correspondent was told that Olem had quit work three days to the incident.
He was also said to have earlier stolen an Acer laptop valued at N150,000, which belonged to the facility, Milestone Hotel, and sold it to one Tobiloba Adebayo for N35,000.
A police source disclosed to PUNCH Metro that the case was reported by the hotel manager, identified simply as Charles.
The source said, “The suspect worked as a security guard at the hotel. On October 31, 2017, at about 8pm, he sneaked into the office of the hotel’s director through the window and stole some items, including a television set, a Nokia phone, and money.
“According to the manager, he wanted to pick a letterhead from the director’s office at that time. As he opened a door leading to the director’s office, he heard some noise and saw somebody hiding in a corner. The police were alerted and the suspect was arrested.”
In his statement to the police, 40-year-old Olem said one Kelvin was an accessory to the crime, noting that he escaped from the scene with the television set.
He said, “I worked as a guard at the hotel until October 28, 2017, when I stopped working. On October 31, I thought of apologising to the manager to take me back. When I got there, my plan changed and I went to the director’s office.
“I met it locked. So I entered through the window. When I got into the office, I took a Nokia phone, one dollar, a television set and some other items. Unfortunately, I was caught. Kelvin went away with the TV. He was the one who brought the idea of stealing.”
Olem was said to have led the police to Adebayo, who he sold a stolen laptop to.
Adebayo confessed to buying the laptop, but said he was not aware that it was stolen.
He said, “Thomas (Olem) brought a laptop to me and said he wanted to sell it for N40,000. I told him I could afford N35,000. He agreed and I paid him the money. He told me the owner needed the money urgently. He did not give me a receipt. I bought it because he said the owner was a computer engineer. It was when I was arrested that I knew he was lying.”
A police prosecutor, Inspector Philip Osijale, brought the two suspects before a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court on four counts bordering on stealing and receiving of stolen property.
The charges read in part, “That you, Thomas Olem, and others at large, on October 31, 2017, at 7.30pm, at Milestone Hotel on Addo Road, Infinite Estate, Ajah, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal an Acer laptop valued at N150,000, one LG flat screen television valued at N50,00, one HP Deskjet printer valued at N48,000, one Nokia phone worth N10,000, and a dollar note, property of Milestone Hotel, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
“That you, Tobiloba Adebayo, did receive one Acer laptop valued at N150,000 from Thomas Olem, which you fully know to be a stolen item, property of Milestone Hotel, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected summary trial.
The presiding magistrate, Mr. L.O. Kazeem, admitted them to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in like sum, and adjourned the case
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