Armed Robbers Raid Firestone

Police Dragnet Catches 15

During the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 12, 2009, the homes of some key Firestone administrative staff were robbed at gunpoint with at least one sustaining severe physical injury.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, LNP Chief Superintendent Susannah Blackie of the Roberts International Airport (RIA) police detachment said she received a call at about 1:30am that there was an armed robbery in progress in the Firestone concession area, so she called on the LNP Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to go there.

The homes that were victimized, according to Blackie, were those of Firestone public relations manager, Rufus Karmorh, who sustained an injury to the head and was taken to the Duside Hospital; and chief of administrative affairs, Mrs. Onu Abdallah Keshen.

Chief Supt. Blackie did not say whether there was an exchange of fire in the area, but said that the ERU responded with efficiency and rounded up 3 of the robbers on the scene. The 3 have since been moved to the Central Police Headquarters in Monrovia.

She added that several other alleged criminals were raided yesterday morning in addition to the few that were arrested that night.

Asked what could be done to avoid recurrence of the situation, Chief Supt. Blackie said that they needed logistics because that makes the work much easier.

She alluded that armed robbery in the concession area has been quiet for some time, but since more young men moved into the area of late, from Monrovia, armed robbery has returned to her control area.

“Those guys that were arrested, majority of them don’t live here, they live in Monrovia; but they come, you know, and their friends harbor them. Then, at night they go around damaging and taking people things away”, she said. But key sources within the concession area are saying that some of the alleged armed robbers are men who were down-sized from the Firestone security apparatus, the Plant Protection Department (PPD).

When contacted by this reporter to elaborate on the burglary at her home, Mrs. Keshen said that she was so stressed up and couldn’t make any comment until after an hour or so, but when further contact was pursued, security at Mrs. Abdallah home said that she was sleeping and didn’t wanted to be bothered.

However, according to information gathered earlier by this reporter, several armed men, some with machetes, knives and guns, entered the home of Mrs. Keshen and took away her jewelries, money and laptop, among others.

Mr. Karmorh, who was admitted at the Duside Hospital for the injury he sustained on his head, could not be contacted to explain what occurred in his home because medical officials said he was taking rest.

Meanwhile, Margibi county District number 3 Representative, Saah Gbollie, condemned the act of robbery in his district and has urged all residents of the plantation to cooperate with the police in cracking down on crime in the district.