By Lamin Cham
A gang of armed robbers struck Block E.26 at the Dalaba Estate near Jabang dead in the night on Monday terrorising a family and doing away with cash and materials worth D70,000.
Sheik Tijan Sallah, an architect and home owner, said five people stormed his house breaking his burglar proof railings to force entry, and speaking Mandinka and Senegalese accented Wolof, they demanded money.
”They overran all entrances to the house and overpowered my security to get inside. I responded that there was no money in the house but they however searched every corner and took about D1500 cash along with three very expensive mobile phones valued at tens of thousands of dalasis and a set of car keys of two cars. They had brand new cutlasses, a taser-gun and knives. They formed an effective team because while some were doing the searching, others brandished weapons and asked questions. One was stationed outside all the while as if watching out for intruders,” Sallah said.
He further disclosed that from his house the robbers attacked another compound on Block F, where they grabbed the only man in the house by the throat threatening to kill him unless he produced money. “They took what they could find on him in the house and left throwing his keys in the near-by bush,” Sallah explained.
He said he could not see his car keys leaving the vehicles grounded up till now.
Mr Sallah said the incident is the latest and more serious among many reported theft cases in the estate. “I have contacted the Estate authorities about the need for more protection of the estate, example the completion of the ongoing fencing of the estate. This will greatly help in protecting and preventing these kinds of incidents,” he said.
