The Police Command in Delta has apprehended five suspected electric pole and cable thieves in Kwale, headquarters of the Ndokwa West Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The spokesman for the command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this on Wednesday in Warri.
Edafe said that the five suspects were nabbed on Saturday by police operatives attached to the Kwale Division, following a discreet and intelligence-driven investigation.
He said that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Kwale division, Edwin Igoche, CSP, who had received complaints about the activities of the suspected vandals, detailed his men to go after them.
“On Aug. 5, 2023, the Divisional Crime Officer led a combined team of police and vigilante operatives and apprehended Michael Thankgod, Peter O'Nyoba, Prince Johnson, Ogochukwu Nwabochali and Chinedu Ossai,” he said.
Edafe said that items recovered from the suspects included three sacks containing electric conductor cables, two iron steel cutter and a measuring scale.
He added that the suspects and exhibits were in the police custody while investigation in the matter is ongoing.
In another development, Edafe said that the command had arrested another suspected criminal for unlawful possession of firearms in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta.
The command’s spokesman said the 27-year-old suspect, identified as Oghenetoja Douglas, was apprehended on Sunday by the police Anti-robbery patrol team attached to the Orerokpe Division.
“The Police patrol team, while on a routine stop-and-search operation on the Oha/Orerokpe Community Road, intercepted a commercial tricycle with five male passengers.
“The Policemen subjected them to a search during which one locally made double barrel cut-to-size short gun with two live cartridges and a sum of N148,000 were found in the possession of Douglas.
“The suspect was swiftly nabbed and taken into police custody while investigation is ongoing,” Edafe said.