Housebreaking tops crime  in Lango - police report

Housebreaking has been the most common crime in Lango Sub-region in the past four months, data from North Kyoga regional police shows.

Police registered1,030 cases of theft from June to September 2. At least 340 cases were registered in June, while 385 and 305 cases in July and August respectively.  The cases involve burglary, theft of motorcycles, and vehicles, among others

Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, the North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, attributed the  crime to street robbers.

“When you look at the months of June, July and August, cases of theft were the highest in North Kyoga and within Lira City,” Mr Okema said last week.

“We also registered five cases of theft of vehicles but we recover three and a motorcycles in Oyam District with the help of the CCTV cameras,”  he added.

One of the vehicles was stolen from Ojwina in Lira City West Division in August.

 “When we checked into our system, we realised this vehicle was already past Tororo going to Kenya,”  Mr Okema said.

He urged the public to remain vigilant.

“Before the public reports such incidents, they [first] run to the media which is not bad but as you make such announcements, you will be sending messages to the thugs,” he said.

Police also noted  a racket of motorcycle robbers with a network beyond the Lango.

“Cases of theft are so rampant in the city, especially in the areas of Barogole and Kakoge. Thugs move in groups and they begin their operations starting from 10pm,”  Mr Patrick Ojok, the chairperson of Wigweng cell, Barogole Ward in Lira City West Division, said. He said thugs attack victims  under the disguise of being boda-boda riders.

“They ride on a motorbike with two people and when they find you talking on the phone, they grab it. Others grab bags from women,” Mr Ojok added.

He said his office recorded four cases of housebreaking before the Independence Day celebrations last week.

Mr Rajab Shaban Ogwang, the chairperson of Senior Quarters B cell in Lira City East Division, blames the situation on street children.

“We need foot patrolling. In my locality, when we do foot patrol for three days, the situation normalises,” Mr Ogwang said.

Mr Martin Odur, the chairperson of Lango Ghetto, an umbrella body that brings together street children,  dismissed the claim. 

“There are thieves within the city and are known by the security but often all the criminals are referred to as street kids,” he said.

recent theft cases

On October 9, police at Lira Central Police Station arrested three men on allegations of being in possession of suspected stolen items.  In August, police in Oyam District recovered 11 stolen motorcycles from a home in Oyam. The motorcycles were found in Obanga-angeo Village in Loro Town Council during a weekend operation. Three of the motorcycles had already been dismantled to be sold as spare parts.

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