By: Ousman Saidykhan
A young man, who is currently in police custody and helping them with their investigation, has confessed to stealing about D1.5 million worth of valuables and cash from a US-based Gambian couple currently vacationing in the country.
Deputy police PRO Muhammed Y Darboe has confirmed that police have launched an investigation into the matter and that the result of their investigation would guide their decision.
The alleged thief broke into the house of Sheriff Muhammad Lamin Jarju and his wife on Wednesday, 18th January 2023 when the couple left their house to visit their families.
Mr Jarju told The Fatu Network that the alleged thief got into the house after jumping over the compound fence and breaking the windows.
According to the victim, the incident happened between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. while the watchman was not at the house.
The bag the thief made off with includes two laptops worth $1200, two gold chain sets worth $3500 and $500 respectively, four different kinds of watches including Apple and male diamond watches worth a combined $1233, Airpod worth $250, a Gucci purse worth $1079, two male designer perfumes worth $250, Aldo purse worth $60, silver crystal worth $33 and a whopping $15,800 of cash, according to the victim.
“One of the most valuable ones will be the money. We unfortunately put $15,800 in that bag. Because I was going to take that money to the bank and then see how best I can change it or buy a property here,” Jarju told TFN.
Sheriffo, as he is popularly called, said his wife later called the police who came and did some survey and took fingerprints.
“I have someone that was tracking the guy, the guy didn’t actually know what was in that bag. But I got something he was using that helped me a lot,” he said.
The alleged thief ultimately got arrested in Bansang on Sunday with the help of the traceable device in the bag.
However, he was lavishly using the money with a couple of boys and had in fact bought a car for himself and several footwears, TFN has been informed.
The couple has recovered some items and cash but that just amounts to a little of what has been stolen.
The victims were shocked to have lost those valuables and cash in such a manner but call on the authorities to appropriately do the needful to such “seasoned” and “unremorseful” thieves.
“These are the people you should not allow to be roaming within the society. They are a threat to society. They need to be put in one place. These are the people the judiciary needs to sentence to a maximum of five years in prison with hard labour” Mr Jarju said.
The man has told the police that he has a sense of knowing where money is and whenever his instincts tell him there is money at a particular place, he gets in there at any cost.
