*Another suspect attempts suicide

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

THREE secondary school drop-out friends are cooling their feet at the Ondo State police headquarters, Akure, for allegedly stealing food stuff and electronic gadgets.

They reportedly confessed that they went into stealing because they were hungry and had nothing to eat. The suspects are Christopher Damilola Stanley, 23; Joshua Adegoke, 22; and Adeosun Ayodeji, 25.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the suspects ,who reside in Akure, had consumed the food stuff they stole before detectives smoked them out of their hide-outs.

The food stuff they allegedly stole include rice, beans, plantain, gari and tubers of yam.

Suspects…we wanted to keep body and soul together

They reportedly burgled the residences of Busuyi Bankole and Helen Ogunmola both living at Araromi Street, Redeemed Avenue, Akure.

Items said to have been stolen also include laptops and handsets belonging to the victims.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that detectives reportedly swung into action following the report of the incidences by the victims.

They picked the suspects from their hideouts located in different areas of the metropolis.

Police source said Christopher, the suspected leader of the gang, was arrested at Ayedun area, Joshua was picked up at Dele Bread area, Oke Aro while Ayodeji was arrested at No 14, Oke Aro.

Speaking to Sunday Vanguard when they were paraded by the police, Christopher said that all their efforts to get menial jobs to sustain themselves proved abortive.

He said they had never burgled a house before, but that matter got to a head when, on that fateful day, they discovered that they had run out of money and there was nothing for them to eat.

He added that a spirit pushed them to the act and they were lucky to find some food stuff in the houses.

According to him, they decided to steal the electronic gadgets so as to sell and use the proceeds to “ keep body and soul together” until they found some other money.

Nemesis, however, caught up with them before they could dispose off the electronic items.

The image maker of the Ondo State Police Command, Wole Ogodo, said all the electronic items had been recovered from the suspects after they were arrested by detectives. Ogodo said they will be arraigned in court at the conclusion of investigation.

Man stabs self

In another development, a middle aged man, Ayodele Oniya, has reportedly stabbed himself after he was allegedly caught by detectives with some stolen items in Akungba- Akoko area of Ondo State.

However, the attempted suicide mission was averted by the detectives who rushed him to a nearby hospital. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the suspect, on admission in the hospital, attempted to commit suicide when he was allegedly caught with the items including a laptop.

Police sources said that one Fadipe David Oludare, living at Akungba- Akoko, had his car, a Toyota Corolla, parked in front of his house, located at Etioro via Akungba-Akoko, burgled. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the suspect forcefully opened the car and made away with the valuables inside.

The victim, who reportedly came back from work and decided to take a rest, later discovered that his car had been forcefully opened and the valuables missing.

He reported the incident to the  police and detectives from the state CID swung into action. The suspect was subsequently arrested while he wanted to sell the laptop in Akure, the state capital.

Upon the search of his house in Akungba-Akoko by detectives, other alleged stolen properties of the victim were reportedly found there.

When he knew that the game was up, he was said to have gone for a table knife with which he stabbed himself on the chest.

Police sources said timely intervention by the detectives saved him from bleeding to death as he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the incident and said the suspect was recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.

Ogodo said the suspect would be charged to court for attempting to commit suicide and stealing.