Angry neighbours on Luck Way in Benin City’s Ikpoba Hill area almost beat a suspected armed robber to death after he was caught taking N400,000 and a mobile phone from a Point of Sale (POS) operator.
AFRIPOST gathered that the unidentified burglar forcefully took the items from a woman who provided POS services in her store.
The thief entered the woman’s supply shop, pretended to buy snacks and beverages, and then attacked the woman.
Speaking to reporters, the woman stated that the suspect came to her establishment and requested biscuits, beverages, and other items.
She said that the suspect informed her that he was in the vicinity for a funeral service and that he intended to entertain his friends with the items before the ceremony started.
“I provided the items for him and I was about to pack them inside a polythene bag when he demanded bottles of water.
“As I went back inside to get the water, he stepped inside the shop and picked up the bag containing my money.
“When I brought the water out, he asked me to calculate the items and said that he wanted to get a bottle of groundnuts from the nearby shop.
“When he said he was going, it was then I checked for the bag and behold it was not there.
“It was at that point that I raised the alarm, which attracted youths in the area who chased and caught him,” she narrated.
She stated the culprit was nearly killed by a crowd before police came to arrest him, and that her bag, which contained the phone and money, was found on him.