The territorial brigade of the gendarmerie of Ndogbong, in Douala, recently apprehended two individuals suspected of being involved in a series of burglaries targeting businesses and warehouses in the Cameroonian economic metropolis. The suspects have been identified as Tchatchoua Owide Constant, presented as the alleged mastermind of the network, and Kenfack Jean, considered his accomplice.
These arrests follow several weeks of investigations conducted by the security forces, in response to a wave of thefts reported in various areas of Douala. During the operation, the gendarmes seized several packaged motorcycle engines, as well as machetes, crowbars, and various tools used during the burglaries.
The investigators attribute to this group the robbery of a motorcycle engine depot that occurred last March in Ndogbong, where the damage suffered by the owners is estimated at several tens of millions of CFA francs. The exploitation of video surveillance images and telephone analyses made it possible to trace the movements of the suspects before and after the attacks, thus accelerating the investigations.
However, the case took an unexpected turn when checks revealed that Tchatchoua Owide Constant was theoretically detained in the New Bell central prison at the time of the facts alleged against him. This prison, built in 1902, is known for its chronic overcrowding. In 2022, it housed approximately 5,000 inmates for an initial capacity of 800 places.
Searches are actively continuing to apprehend the other members of the gang still on the run and to identify possible receivers involved in the resale of the stolen engines.
