Man steals 20 cement bags day after promotion

A day after he was made a supervisor in a block moulding company, Abiola Hamzat, a graduate of a university in Oyo State, has been arrested for allegedly stealing 20 bags of cement.

The 35-year-old was apprehended by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command on Thursday after the theft was discovered by the company.

He was alleged to have conspired with one Adebayo Kazeem, 32, to perpetrate the crime at the company’s office in the Agbado area of the state.

An official of the company, who spoke with the police, said Hamzat was employed as a contract security officer after which he rose to become an operator.

“However, he was formally promoted on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, to the post of a supervisor when the company’s management discovered he was a university graduate,” the official, who did not want to be identified, said.

The suspect, a father of three, allegedly stole the 20 bags of cement on Wednesday, a day after he was promoted to the post, which reportedly attracted a salary of N215,000 per month.

He was arrested along with his accomplice, Kazeem, after moving the 20 bags of cement out of the factory.

Upon arrival at the RRS headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, the suspect allegedly owned up to the crime, saying he needed money to rent an apartment for his family.

He said, “I masterminded the crime; I only co-opted Adebayo (Kazeem) into the plan.
“Initially, he discouraged me that it was not possible to steal the cement from the company. After I persisted and mounted some pressure, he told me to carry the gateman along so that the operation can be successful; which I eventually did.
“I have an accommodation problem with my family. I am desperately looking for funds to house them. That was what pushed me into it.”

The police said it gathered from the company that Hamzat’s new salary as a supervisor was three times his wage as an operator.

While confirming the arrest, the acting spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, advised companies operating in the state to be vigilant at all times.

Punch