A suspected burglar, Lucky Joseph, has been arrested by the police for allegedly breaking into churches and houses in the Sango Ota area of Ogun State.
The 26-year-old suspect was said to be facing a theft trial at the Ota Magistrate’s Court after he was arrested for stealing some musical instruments sometime in November 2015.
Joseph, who had two wives, struck again last Tuesday around 3am at a residence in Oloko community, Sango Ota, stealing a plasma television, a DVD player and a car battery.
While he was about to escape with the items, his victim raised the alarm. He was said to have been given a chase by residents of the area, who apprehended him at an uncompleted building.
He was beaten up and later handed over to the police at the Onipanu division.
The police said a search was carried out on his two residences in Ifo and items he had reportedly stolen from churches were recovered.
A police source said among items recovered were mixers, guitars and microphones, adding that Joseph was notorious for burglary in the area.
“By the time the police got to the scene of the crime, he had been beaten up by the angry residents. After we rescued him, we conducted a search at where he lives in Ifo and many instruments he had stolen from churches and houses were recovered. Two electric guitars, two mixers, three plasma TV sets, one vehicle battery, a DVD player, a tape and two microphones were recovered.
“He has yet to make full confession and his accomplices are still at large. The owners of the items have been coming forward to identify their property,” the source said.
The resident, whose house was burgled on the day Joseph was arrested, told our correspondent on the telephone that there had been cases of burglary in the neighbourhood recently, which made residents to be on the alert. He added that the suspect was a member of a gang that raided churches in the area a few weeks ago.
The victim, who did not want his name in print, said, “Robbers have been disturbing us in this community. They are so desperate that they do not spare houses of God. Last month, they attacked a house and an Apostolic Church. Some people living around the church said he (Joseph) was a member of the gang. Since then, we have been very vigilant.
“He had nearly escaped with my property when I woke up. While my neighbours and I were chasing him, we heard gunshots probably from his gang members, but we were determined to catch him to serve as a deterrent. He stole my TV set and a car battery.”
Joseph, who hails from Edo State, said he wanted to raise money to pay for the service of his counsel on the pending criminal case against him in court.
He said, “I am an instrumentalist. Churches invite me for events. It was a friend called Sodiq who sold the instruments I use to me, but he did not give me receipts. When I was broke, I approached him to assist me with N30,000. He said he did not have the money. Instead, he introduced me to burglary.
“I wanted to use the money to pay a lawyer, handling a case of stealing I have in court. I was arrested sometime in November 2015, for stealing a microphone. The police should have mercy on me. I am an orphan and I have two wives. I won’t steal again.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said, “The suspect is with us. He was arrested for breaking into churches and houses and would be charged to court on Tuesday (today).”
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