Obala: Police parades suspects specialised motorbikes thefts.

The suspects, the police said, were arrested following investigations into the stealing of motorbikes of three riders on three different occasions earlier this month.

The investigations were opened following several complaints from members of the public, particularly bike riders on cases of assaults and theft of their bikes.

Speaking to the press, the Head of the Obala Public Security, Superintendent of Police Akono Patrick Alain, said the three suspected criminals were arrested following operations on the field and increase network of informants.

The suspects include 20-year-old Ndjom Louis, Bobo Hamadjida alias Baladji, aged 40 and Ohandja Mealla, 32.

Ndjom, the police revealed, was arrested in the process of trying to escape after stealing a motorbike on the night of July 5 at around 11p.m. at the entrance to Obala town.

For his part, Bobo Hamadjida, notorious for assault and motorbike theft, was arrested on July 7, at the entrance into Obala, while the third suspect, Ohandja Mealla, was nabbed on the night of July 8, on the Nkometou-Nkolmelen road, while attempting to assault and steal the motorbike of one Jean Patrick Kuete.

The Head of the Obala Public Security, who recounted the mode of operation of the robbers, disclosed that the suspects used their bikes to follow their victims and sometimes wait for them in dark places before launching an attack. 

The police official said the suspects sometimes go as far as assaulting the bike riders if they try to resist. 

Superintendent Akono Patrick Alain used the opportunity to call for collaboration on the part of the population.

“We are calling on the population to have confidence in the police because police are their only support and they are here to protect them and their property,” he said. 

Determined to continue the fight against the criminal gangs, Superintendent Akona Patrick said, in addition to the operation, they are “determined to continue the fight against all forms of criminality occurring on a daily in our town”.

Victim recounts ordeal 

One of the victims, Kuete Jean Patrick, whose bike was stolen on July 8, by one of the suspects, recounted that he came in contact with the thief at the entrance of the town. Kuete said he tried escaping but was hit on the head. 

“They stopped me and tried to take my bike…when I tried to escape, I was hit on my head with a big stick… luckily, I was putting on a helmet. I never wanted to give up easily…,” Kuete recounted.

The bike rider added that while he struggled to escape and was being chased by the those who wanted to seize his bike, he called the police and was lucky that the uniformed officers who were closed by arrived on time.

Enter Obala DO

The Divisional Officer, DO, of Obala, Felix Kanga, who spoke to the press said with the numerous complaints from the population on acts of assault and robbery, there is need to put in place a strategy to track the suspects and bring them to answer for their crimes.

The administrative authority expressed gratitude to the police for the good job done so far in ensuring that peace and order reign in Obala.

He assured the population of their security, adding that he and his collaborators will not rest until all those giving sleepless nights to the population are brought to book.

In his appeal for collaboration, the DO said: “We are calling on the population to collaborate as soon as possible to give us details and information in tracking down these criminals”.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3169 of Monday July 15, 2024