ATM robbery in Abeokuta, Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command on Saturday foiled an Automated Teller Machine, ATM, robbery in Abeokuta.As gathered from a police report that the bandits arrived the premises of Crescent University, Abeokuta, where the machine was installed, at about 1.00 a.m., tied up the five security guards of the first generation bank that owns the machine, and started to cart away money from it. However, some security officials at the university made a distress telephone call to a nearby police unit. The Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident. He said that the presence of the police forced the bandits to take to their heels, abandoning some of their operational tools including two cylinders containing methane gas, two sledge hammers, pliers, screw drivers and lighters. Mr. Adejobi, who like the report did not disclose the name of the affected bank for security reasons, said the police officials untied the guards. “The armed robbers could not have access to the ATM strong room but damaged the main security door to the ATM room and tampered with some gadgets there,” he said. He disclosed that one Abdulliahi Tunde (20), a welder, was arrested around the University when he was seen making suspicious calls on phone at about 1:10 a.m. while the police officers on surveillance were combing the bush around the school. The suspect was transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad. “The command therefore wishes to advise the general public, particularly those dealing with liquid cash, like owners of cold rooms, petrol stations, shopping malls etc to be more security conscious during this Yuletide season and beyond as the hoodlums have been barred from banks in Ogun State by the police,” Mr. Adejobi said