Private security guards charged for burglary

Police in Monrovia have charged at least 10 suspects, including private security officers on multiple crimes of criminal conspiracy, burglary, criminal mischief and theft, at the end of investigation into claims that they entered a business center and took away a safe containing US$34,200 and LD$500,000 cash.

The defendants include B. Varfee Gobah, Thomas M. Kamara, Harris Quollin, Emma, Barry, Hawa, Razah, Henry George and two guys only identified as Junior. Police said others are to be identified in connection with the crimes.

They allegedly entered the Supplier Super Store on Somalia Drive in Monrovia during night hours on May 9 and allegedly made away with cash in the tune of US$34,200 and LD$500,000 along with assorted documents.

Police said the manager of the store – a Lebanese national, George Saba, filed the complaint following the incident.

According to the Police, co-defendant Varfee Gobah, who got employed by a private security firm – City Security and Safety Service since March 6 this year, allegedly confessed during investigation that co-defendant Razah visited him (Varfee) and his night shift commander, co-defendant Thomas Kamara and suggested the idea that they should burst the store they were guarding.

He said Razah suggested that they should burst the store and steal money, and they agreed and allegedly executed the mission while on duty on May 10 at about 2:00 a. m. when Razah came this time along with five of his colleagues.

He named those that came along with Razah as Harris, Hawa, Emma and an elderly man in a vehicle. They had in the trunk of the vehicle a welding machine and an oxygen tank that were used to cut the steel door and brought out the safe containing the money in question.

Police said the defendant narrated that they drove in the vehicle along Swen Highway in Bomi County where they finally burst the safe. He claimed to have received US$1,000 plus KD$10,000 as his share; but gave the money to Razah for safe keeping.

Defendant Varfee said he went on to Nimba County in hiding, but he later returned to Monrovia along with Kamara and both men reported themselves to the Zone Six Police Station.

As for co-defendant Thomas Kamara, police said he admitted to the stealing of the safe, saying they divided the money among 16 persons on Bomi Highway, and that he and his friend Gobah received US$1,000 plus LD$10,000 each.

Kamara allegedly said the plan to break into the store started in April when one Harris told him and Gobah that the day shift commander Henry George had been informed of the burglary plan to burst the store.

Kamara said Harris suggested that they use keys to open the store, but the operation failed because the key brought could not open the steel doors.

Also, a resident of Snapper Hill Community on Broad Street, Monrovia co-defendant Harris Quollin, said after he was engaged on the burglary scheme, he went to the store in April 2015 with keys, but the keys failed to open the store.

Later he said Gobah and Kamara told him that they were bringing one old man from Bopolu,Gbarpolu County that could open any kind of lock. On May 9 when he visited the Supplier Super Store, defendant Quollin said he met an old man at the store and another person with a welding machine that they operated to open the store.

The suspects have been charged and sent to court. By Winston W. Parley – Edited by Jonathan Browne