A 400-level student in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science at the University of Calabar, Emem Asuquo (29), on Friday claimed that he took to stealing in order to ‘settle’ his lecturers over some courses in which he had carry-overs.
Asuquo is currently in the custody of the Cross River State Police Command for stealing a Land Rover LR3 SUV that was parked along Bedwell Street in the Calabar-South area of the metropolis.
The suspect took the vehicle after a mechanic parked it and left the key in the ignition.
Narrating the incident to Southern City News, Asuquo, who said his parents knew about his actions, said he was desperate to graduate and join the next batch of the National Youth Service Corps members.
He said he did not actually trail the mechanic to where he stole the car, but that he only acted on instinct when he noticed the carelessness of the driver.
He said, “This is the second vehicle I will be stealing. I stole one before and I was caught. My goal is stealing exotic jeeps.
“I started stealing when I was in 300 level. Nobody introduced me to stealing; I developed interest in it because I felt it was an easy way to make money to take care of my education. I am not a cultist. I have not paid my school fees and I needed money to settle some lecturers.
“My parents gave me part of the fees, but I used the money to settle lecturers of the courses I failed. I was caught when I stole my first vehicle in 2013.
“My parents are alive and anytime I found myself in police trouble, I used to call them, but after the last incident, they said they would no longer come to my rescue. My intention was to sell this car in Port Harcourt for N6m.”
Asuquo said the police caught him when he tried to find somewhere to eat before embarking on the journey to Port Harcourt.
“I stopped at a restaurant to eat because I was on medication. I discovered the vehicle didn’t have sufficient petrol, so I was also looking for some money to buy fuel; all these slowed me down,” he said.
The officer in charge of Special Anti-Robbery Squad at the state police headquarters, ASP Jack Effiong, said the police chased and caught the suspect around the Lemna Road axis in Calabar.
He said, “The suspect drove the car recklessly out of the scene and that was how he attracted attention. He drove the car up to Lemna Road in Calabar Municipality, where we were able to apprehend him.
“When he knew we had caught up with him, he jumped down and wanted to escape, but we fired and one of the bullets grazed his leg and he fell.
“The mechanic called the owner of the vehicle immediately and the owner in turn called me and that was how we gave the suspect a hot chase and got him. This happened on July 15 at abo
No comments:
Post a Comment