The Territorial Police in Mbale has arrested a notorious thief who is suspected to be a ring leader in stealing numberplates from motor vehicles and extorting money from owners from within Mbale City and the surrounding areas.
The suspect identified as Manira Abdallah, was arrested from Mbale Regional Referral Hospital after stealing the numberplate from a Toyota Wish UBE 534P belonging to Mr. Wachi Adam, a resident of Nauyo in Mbale city. He was tricked that his wife was admitted.
Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson SP Rogers Taitika told DailyExpress that Manira and others still at large have been demanding money from people to get back their numberplates after stealing them from their vehicles and the game went unsuccessful this time round as the victim reported to police who tracked the suspect.
“He and others have been demanding between 100,000= and 500,000= for one to get his number plate back. The complainant in this case is Wachi Adam, a resident of Nauyo in Mbale city who reported the case to police after losing the numberplate of his UBE 534P Toyota Wish,” SP Rogers Taitika confirmed.
The most affected areas according to Taitika are; Nauyo, Nakaloke, Namunsi, Bugema, Indian quarters and the surrounding areas in Mbale city.
He added that Manira who is suspected to be the prime suspect in the matter, has since mentioned a good number of his gang and that police are tracing them all.
Police noted that the suspect in police custody is a serial criminal who once escaped narrowly from being lynched as he attempted to steal before being rescued by Mbale police.
“Manira Abdalla was in the past rescued by Mbale Police from angry residents who wanted to lynch him when he was caught stealing within Mbale city,” Taitika said before encouraging the public to always report such criminal incidents and desist from sending money to criminals.
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