Burglar breaks into Lagos computer firm, loots office
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A suspected burglar has brought a start-up in the Ikeja area of Lagos State to its knees after breaking into the software development company, stealing all its laptops.
It was learnt that the suspect broke into NexTekk Technology System around 6pm on Friday, January 26, 2018, shortly after the company’s manager locked the office and closed for the day.
The case was said to have been reported at the Ikeja Police Division.
Our correspondent learnt that the police had yet to apprehend the suspect or locate the stolen laptops, despite CCTV footage which revealed the moment the incident happened.
The manager of the company, Dayo Adeleye, said his attention was drawn to the break in by a security guard watching over a complex where the company operated.
He said he could not explain how the suspect broke the four locks of the office, adding that a hammer and other tools used by the suspects were found on the premises.
He said, “We occupy the first floor of a four-storeyed building on Olowu Street, Ikeja. There are other companies using the complex. We got an office space there in October 2017.
“We close for the day at 5.30pm and as usual, I had locked up the office that day. However, while leaving, I sighted a man on native attire entering the complex. His look was suspicious. But since the complex is being used by other companies, I could not tell his motive and what business he had to do there. For security reasons, I returned to check that the office had been properly locked.
“About 45 minutes after I left, the security man guarding the complex called me on the telephone that our office had been burgled. I was stunned. I ran back and discovered the six laptops in the office – four Dell and two HP – were gone. Aside from the fact that they cost about N2m, we had some important client jobs in them. I saw the hammer the man used to break the locks and the tools he used to open the door.”
Our correspondent learnt that the case was reported at the Ikeja Police Station and an Investigating Police Officer was assigned to the case.
We were told that after the police visited the scene, three artisans who were renovating another office on the second floor of the building were arrested.
They were reportedly released after the police could not find anything to link them with the burglary.
Our correspondent gathered that CCTV footage from a pharmaceutical store in the complex, however, revealed when the laptops were stolen. The image of the suspected burglar was, however, blurred.
“It turned out to be the same man I sighted after closing that day. From the footage, he entered the building without anything, but when he was leaving, he had a bag from our office into which he put the laptops.
“We got screen grabs of the footage which we took to some touts in the area. They denied knowing him and said he might not be from the community. The police have said there is nothing more that they can do about it,” the manager added.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, did not pick his calls and had yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
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