A man was thrown into a state of confusion and disbelief when a suspected armed robber took possession of his Toyota Corolla car and sped off with a three-year old girl therein. According to reports, the victim had gone to pick his daughter from school and decided to branch at the workshop of an artisan repairing his pumping machine at Sokori area of Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
He, was said to have parked the car ten meters away, with the engine running, while he to meet the artisan.
To his utmost bewilderment, he suddenly noticed the car move, but had to jettison the thought as unimaginable on account that the little girl, aside that she was on the back seat, could not be so perfect to make the car roll.
While still ruminating on the fearful and strange development within that short spate of time, what happened thereafter was damning to him; the car sped off, suggesting that a devil disciple was at work.
He then raised an alarm, which attracted a horde of sympathizers, comprising mostly motorcyclists, who chased the fleeing marauder on the wheel and successfully caught up with him.
He was dragged out of the car, beaten to a pulp and later handed over to men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Abeokuta.
Crimepuzzle gathered that on arrival at the office of the FSARS, a search was conducted on the 32-year old suspect, identified as Samuel Akinwale, during which a short locally-made gun was lying in his pocket.
On interrogation, he was said to have revealed to the detectives that he belonged to a five-man car snatching syndicate and consequently led the operatives to their hideout.
It was further learnt that, on approaching the robbers’ ‘den’, his other gang members, sensing a swoop on them, opened fire on the policemen, which shattered the side screen of their operational bus.
Their arrested gang member, Samson, was incidentally, not spared of the violent attack. Their bullet hit him. He was thereafter rushed to a hospital by the police team but confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
A twist has, however, been introduced into the scenario. The suspect’s relatives have begun to threaten the complainant for being instrumental to the arrest of their son.
