Three vandals disguise as engineers, steal telecom mast batteries in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested three suspected vandals who disguised as engineers to steal masts’ backup batteries belonging to telecommunication companies in the state.

Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters, Uyo, over the weekend, the state Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi, said six mast backup batteries and a Toyota Camry used for their criminal activities were recovered.

The suspects Chinwe Nwabara, Bright Godswill and Chinedu Nweke, were arrested on March 21, 2023, by the command’s Eagle Response Squad after credible information. 

According to the CP, the suspects who disguised as engineers drove in an ash-coloured Toyota Camry car with number plate No KJA 321 FS and stole equipment valued at over N1.6m before they were arrested.

“On March 21, 2023, around 5pm, based on a reliable report that hoodlums who disguised as engineers drove with an ash-coloured Toyota Camry with number plate KJA 321 FS, around Uyo, Abak, Oron and Okobo locations, vandalised and stole mast back-up batteries belonging to telecommunication firms valued at N1.6m,” the CP said. 

“A painstaking investigation by Eagle Response Squad of the command led to the arrest of three suspects namely Chinwe Nwabara, Bright Godswill and Chinedu Nweke. Six mast backup batteries and the Toyota Camry used for their criminal activities were recovered,” 

The CP explained that the synergy between the police and other sister agencies during the period helped the police to record the feat.