English
Kinyarwanda
Security organs in Gakenke District foiled a Monday night mass robbery that had targeted several shops in a market located in Gakenke Sector.
A group of three men had targeted different shops owned by 14 traders in the market.
Police spokesperson for the Northern region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdum Twizeyimana said that one of the suspects identified as Pierre Ngarambe, was arrested in the criminal act.
“On Monday at about 4pm, police received credible information from a well informed resident about a group that had hatched a plan to break into various shops in Gakenke main market, at night,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
“During the operation conducted at about 11:30pm, one of the suspects [Ngarambe] was arrested on the scene while two others managed to escape, but investigations are still underway to track and arrested them as well,” he added.
“They had targeted shops of 14 traders that deal in clothes, shoes and cooking oil, but all that had been robbed was intercepted and returned to owners.”
Among the items recovered from suspects valued at over Rwf7 million, include clothes that had been packed in eleven sacks, two sacks of shoes and two cooking oil that was packed in two sacks.
“Where people understand their role in safety and security, and real time information sharing, criminals find no room to accomplish their evil plans or to escape justice,” Twizeyimana said, thanking the vigilance of the resident who alerted security organs.
One of the would-be victims, Geremie Murenzi, said: “This would have been a very big loss if the resident, who came to know about the plan hadn’t informed security organs or if security organs hadn’t responded in time.”
“This teaches us that where we live, move or work, we should mind our security and that of others. This resident who alerted the police did so because he found it his responsibility to protect us and our business in particular,” Murenzi said.
