Amateur Robbery at Mbon Market, Budding Thieves Abandon Booty and Flee at Sight of Military

Amateur Robbery at Mbon Market, Budding Thieves Abandon Booty and Flee at Sight of Military

A foiled robbery incidence occurred at the Mbon main market, Mbengwi in the early hours of Sunday morning, February 21st 2021. Sensing danger, the two night watchmen at the market alerted some traders on phone then went into  hiding, switching off their own phones. 

The military was tipped and the brigade commander, Tchengang Theophile, popularly known in Mbengwi as Eto'o immediately took his boys to the market for intervention. Upon sensing their presence, the criminal(s) escaped leaving behind what had been stolen. 

Recovered Stolen Items Sampled for Identification and Collection

The Market Gate Via Which Bandits Often Pass. It Has to be Fortified

At least 5 sheds in the clothing line were broken into but not much carried away. The municipality was in darkness probably reason why the hoodlums took advantage of the darkness to go steal. They forced their way into some shops after having jumped over the gate and undid the staples while the locks remained hung on the hasps (check online about hasp and staple locks). 

When traders got up in the morning and got the news, they quickly rushed to the market to check about the wellbeing of their items. The municipality's mayor, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam also descended to the scene of action to ascertain the situation. The traders have expressed joy as their items were recovered, thanks to quick alert and prompt military intervention. The recovered items made up of shoes, bags, dresses and food items were sampled for identification and collection. 

Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy Akam (with pocketed hands) Exchanging With Traders 

Traders Identifying their Stolen But Recovered Items

Cases of banditry at the Mbon market aren't new. On January 6th 2021, the mayor held a meeting with hundreds of traders in the council hall to understand their plights and other issues related to their welfare. During the said meeting, the president of the Mbengwi Trader's Union, Mr. Anye Collins complained about lack of collaboration among the traders. To him, the executive once tasked the traders in the market to each contribute 200Frs to improve security by helping equip the night watchmen with torchlights, warm clothing and other tools but shockingly, they refused to contribute. 

This explains why during the recent incidence, the two elderly fathers had not even a torch and so for their own safety had to hide. After all life has no duplicate. The mayor told the traders he's taken note of the loopholes and has promised to fortify the three main gates into the market via which the bandits always pass by increasing their heights. He also assured the night watchmen that in the days ahead, sophisticated torchlights, the type used by the military shall be bought and given to them. 

Mbon Market Night Watchman Carrying Recovered Items

Mayor Ndangsa & Mr. Tangoh Humphrey, Momo DDSE Evaluating Damage Caused 

One of the Shed Burgled 

While these measures are to be put in place, the traders must be reminded of the need to be responsible. Many at times the blame is on the night watchmen and the council but when proposals are given for collective initiatives to improve on security in the market, they don't cooperate. They have been schooled severally that one can't be having goods worth hundreds of thousands or millions and can't spare few francs or thousands to secure them.

The traders voted their executive and so must empower it by collaborating for their own good without which such incidences may continue to occur and victims continue to bear losses. The council itself ought to go for night watchmen worth the salt, though a topic for another because the type of persons that guard institutions at night in Cameroon...