Neighbors steal again after 1 month out of prison

(Baonghean.vn) - Two inmates who had just finished serving a one-month prison sentence for theft, went back to their old ways and committed a series of robberies at churches.

Nghi Loc District Police Investigation Agency is completing the case file to prosecute the case and prosecute Nguyen Van Dong (born 1988) and Nguyen Duc Manh (born 1980), both residing in Hamlet 3, Nam Loc Commune, Nam Dan.

Previously, on the night of September 7, at Lang Anh parish church, Nghi Phong commune, Nghi Loc, thieves broke in and stole an organ and a mixer (sound adjustment set), with a total value of about 80 million VND. Immediately after that, the parish pastoral council reported it to Nghi Loc district police.

Subjects Nguyen Duc Manh (black shirt) and Nguyen Van Dong. Photo: Tuan Minh

After receiving the report, Nghi Loc District Police deployed forces to the scene, collected evidence and documents, and established Project 917T to investigate and clarify the case.

Using synchronous professional measures, the Task Force obtained information that in Nam Dan area, there was a subject named Nguyen Van Dong who had just completed a 1-month prison sentence. He had been sentenced to 36 months in prison for theft of property at a church in Son Kim commune, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh. After being released from prison, Dong refused to work and had a close relationship with Nguyen Duc Manh, his neighbor. Manh had also just returned from serving a prison sentence for theft of property.

Focusing on investigating the two suspects Dong and Manh, the Task Force found that they had many unclear signs about time and finances. Just released from prison, Dong kept changing his phone number, and spent all day drinking and shopping. Through some sources, the Task Force determined that on the night of September 7, Dong was in Nghi Phong commune, then moved to Ha Tinh city. This helped the Task Force confirm that Dong was the number 1 suspect in the theft of property at Lang Anh parish church, Nghi Phong commune, Nghi Loc on the night of September 7.

The task force sent a working group to Ha Tinh City to check the buying and selling points and pawnshops and determined that at the house of Ms. Thai Thi Thanh H., residing on Le Duy Diem Street, Dai Nai Ward, Ha Tinh City, she bought a Mixer table from a subject for 5,000,000 VND.

Evidence of the case. Photo: Tuan Minh

Previously, this subject also sold Ms. H. an organ for 16 million VND. Ms. Huong's family is in the business of repairing and selling organs. After identifying the subject, Ms. H. confirmed that the subject who sold her the organ was Nguyen Van Dong.

To consolidate the evidence, the Investigation Committee issued an emergency arrest warrant for Nguyen Van Dong. At 3:00 p.m. on September 9, detectives discovered Dong wandering around Vinh City, so they arrested him.

During the struggle, Dong confessed that he had an accomplice, Nguyen Duc Manh, who was his neighbor. The task force continued to issue an emergency arrest warrant for Nguyen Duc Manh for theft of property.

At the investigation agency, Dong confessed that he was the perpetrator of the theft at Lang Anh parish, Nghi Phong, Nghi Loc. In addition, after being released from prison, he and Manh committed 3 thefts at other Catholic churches.

The first case was in early August, after being released from prison for a few days due to laziness, Nguyen Van Dong took a bus from his home to Cua Lo port area with the purpose of going to Tan Loc parish church, Nghi Tan ward, Cua Lo town to steal property. At 11pm, Dong climbed up the lightning protection wire to the roof, removed the tiles, broke into the church, took an organ, then opened the door and went outside. Dong took a taxi to Huu Dat pawn shop, Hung Loc commune, Vinh city and pawned it for 5,000,000 VND.

The motorbike Dong and Manh used to commit the thefts. Photo: Tuan Minh

A few days later, Nguyen Van Dong met Nguyen Duc Manh on his way back from Vinh. Dong and Manh invited each other to steal property from Catholic churches. Using the same method, Manh stood outside and kept watch while Dong broke into the Yen Phap church, hamlet 6, Hung Thinh commune, Hung Nguyen and took an organ. Then the two subjects brought it to Ha Tinh city to sell to Ms. H. for 16 million VND.

On the night of September 6, Dong continued to commit theft at Yen Hoa church, Gia Hoa parish, Xuan An town, Nghi Xuan, Ha Tinh. On September 7, he committed theft at Lang Anh parish.

On September 9, while he and his accomplices were planning to continue the new mission, they were arrested. The total assets stolen by the subjects amounted to 200 million VND.

The case is currently under further investigation./.

Tuan Minh