…burgles home via ceiling
This was the third time 24-yearold Olayinka Richard would be a guest of policemen attached to the Lagos State Police Command. As he fielded questions from New Telegraph, tears streamed down his cheeks.
Richard, who introduced himself as a 400level undergraduate of Sociology, Northern American University, Cotonou, Benin Republic, said he wasn’t really a thief. He said he was misunderstood.
He sounded shocked, that his benefactor, Mr. Tolani Adelabu, was ill-treating him, using the police, for a crime he couldn’t understand. Richard didn’t see anything wrong in burgling the home of his ‘Uncle Tolani’ three times, to steal valuables.
On two of those three occasions, he stole the man’s car. The first and second time, he was forgiven and told to go home and ‘steal no more.’ But he didn’t learn anything from his first and second arrest.
The third time, he sneaked into the man’s ceiling, gained access into Adelabu’s compound and stole the man’s car. Detectives attached to Ogombo Police Station, accused him of stealing the car.
He was further accused of attempting to sell the car. But Richard appeared incensed at the allegations. He spat: “I didn’t steal Uncle Tolani’s car. And I had no plan to sell it. The problem is that I’m in love with that car. It’s an uncommon car.
It’s a Black SAAB Saloon Car, 97 models. I don’t know why Uncle Tolani is doing this to me. The car is not his problem.” Asked why he wasn’t remorseful for repeatedly stabbing his benefactor in the back, Richard suddenly broke down and started crying. Choking on his tears, he said: “I’m sorry Uncle Tolani. I’m sorry auntie. Tell the kids I’m sorry too. I know they miss me and are asking for me.”
Asked if he would steal Adelabu’s car again, if pardoned, Richard sniffed: “If he forgives me, I wouldn’t take the car again without asking him! I had always taken the car without his permission. This time, I would ask for his permission.”
Richard explained that he only wanted to take the car to his school. He said he had every intention of returning it. Richard’s story and excuses kept changing. What he told New Telegraph as his reason for stealing the car twice, wasn’t what he told operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command. Richard was arrested by RRS operatives the second time he stole the car.
The car, a Black SAAB Saloon Car, marked, AAA 581 CG, was recovered by the RRS men. A police source said: “Richard was trailed from Iju Road, Fagba area, for about five hours by the RRS officers before he was eventually nabbed along Wempco Road, Agindigbin. He gained entrance into the living room of his victim, Adelabu Tolani, through the ceiling, to pick the car keys and drove away with the car, along with other valuables.”
While he told New Telegraph that he stole the car because he was madly in love with it and wanted to take it to school, he told RRS operatives that he stole it because, “ he deliberately wanted to punish his benefactor for forgetting his birthday.” While RRS operatives said that Adelabu had been the sole financier of Richard’s university education, Richard told New Telegraph that Adelabu only once gave him money for matriculation and a laptop.
Richard reportedly told RRS: “I lived with Uncle Tolani for almost five years ago. I was able to be part of the family because I’m a friend to his wife’s brother. Uncle Tolani sponsored my educational career before I dropped out from the institution at final year.
I deliberately committed the offence because they asked me to move out of their house.” The first time that Richard stole the car and other personal effects from the house, nobody was at home. He told New Telegraph, that he found the key to the house by the gas, which was outside the gate. He picked the key, entered the house and stole some of Adelabu’s clothes and shoes.
He later left with the car. He said: “I only took Uncle Tolani’s clothes and shoes because I wanted to wear them for my birthday. I thought they would know that I was the person that took the car, shoes and clothes.” Immediately he left with the car, he went to a shopping mall along Lekki/ Ajah. When he got to the shopping mall, he parked haphazardly and was ordered by a policeman to park properly. He refused and rather engaged the officer in fisticuffs. He was arrested and taken to the police station. He was still at the station, when alert came for the missing car.
When Adelabu came to the station, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ogombo Police Station, mediated in the matter. Adelabu forgave Richard and dropped the matter.
A police source said: “Before Adelabu could finish at the police station, the suspect rushed to the victim’s home and carted away some of his valuables. Two days later, he went into the house again and stole more valuables.
RRS arrested him and charged him to court. But his parents, who reside at Alagbado, came, begged and bailed him. On July 27, he went back to Adelabu’s house and discovered that all the locks had been changed. He now entered the house through the ceiling. He stole many clothes, including customers’ clothes that the victims’ wife was sewing. He also took money.”
Richard disappeared with the car, but the car broke down on the road. Meanwhile, the vehicle had been reported stolen for the second time within span of weeks. Policemen started frantically searching for it.
When the car developed fault, Richard parked it by the roadside. He went to look for mechanic. The police source continued: “When policemen searching for the car saw it, they decided to hide and wait.
They knew it was only a matter of time before Richard return. When Richard returned, he was with a mechanic. The policemen rushed out and grabbed him.” Asked why he didn’t go and live with his parents at Alagbado, Richard said: “God gave me a different life. God made me outstanding.” Adelabu said that he regretted lending helping hands to Richard, by accommodating him.
Adelabu said: “I don’t know any of his relatives. It was my brother-inlaw, who brought him from Church camp. I noticed that he needed accommodation and financial support. I kindly offered him without asking him to bring any of his relatives. He used to be a very jovial and kind person, before he left for his university in Benin Republic. I discovered after he returned to the country, that his life style had changed for bad.
When I noticed this, I talked to him as a father and advised him to change. While talking to him, he told me that he was no longer interested in going back to the institution, and I asked him why, he never told the reason till date.”
Adelabu said that he sent Richard packing because he might be a bad influence on his children. His words: “I sent him out because I don’t want him to corrupt character of my children. They are grown-ups too. When he stole the car for the first time, I reported the case to Ogombo Police Station, Ajah area. The policemen arrested him the second day and he was detained for some days. After much pleading from him, I had to beg the DPO to release him. I told police it was a family affair. I thought he would have a change of mind.
But two days after, he went back to my house to steal the car again. “It’s possible that he has gotten a buyer for my car because I can’t comprehend his insistence in stealing the car. On July 10, 2016, my wife called me that she couldn’t find the car again.
She said the suspect gained entrance into our living room, took the car key and absconded with it again despite the fact that we had changed all the keys to our apartment. I was shocked to learn he entered my compound through the ceiling.”https://newtelegraphonline.com/love-made-steal-car-says-400-level-undergraduate/