By EMMA AMAIZE

OLEH — A gang of robbers operating in Oleh, Delta State, weekend, used a Mercedes Benz car belonging to the traditional ruler of Ase Kingdom in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, for a botched robbery operation.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the incident, however, said the car was used without the consent of the royal father.

She said in a statement: “On 18/5/2014, one Sergeant Ugbo ‘m’ of 17, Tolobe Street, Oleh reported at the Police station, Oleh, that on the same date, at about 0230hrs, strange persons knocked at the door to his house and when he looked through the window, he saw one of the persons, suspected to be armed robbers with a stainless gun.

“Consequently, he phoned the vigilante, who responded swiftly with the Army patrol team.

“However, when the hoodlums sighted the security team approaching, they escaped and abandoned their vehicle, a M/Benz car with registration number EQ 442 APP. The vehicle was recovered to the police station.

“Preliminary investigation has revealed that the said M/Benz car belongs to HRH, Igwe Ifeanyichukwu, the traditional ruler of Ase Kingdom in Ndokwa West LGA of Delta State.

“The monarch was contacted and he disclosed that the said vehicle developed fault on his way to Ase from Asaba. He then left the vehicle with an aide (name withheld) to get a mechanic to fix the vehicle while he sent for his spare car with which he continued his journey.

“The said aide, instead of returning the car to HRH after the repairs, decided to use it along with his cohorts for the botched robbery operation. Detectives traced the said suspect to his house at Iyede Street, Oleh and discovered that he had left the town.”

DSP Kalu informed that “efforts are on to track down the suspects who are currently at large.”