Armed Gang Attack Liberian Diplomat’s Residence in Monrovia

Several unknown gang armed with deadly weapons and other instruments during the heavy downpour of rain on Wednesday attack the Paynesville Thinker Village-Old Field’s Community residence of Mr. Josephus Moses Gray, Political Counselor at the Embassy of Liberia in Paris, France.

The terrible incident occurred about 3:00a.m during a thunderstorm. The residence is fenced while all the doors and windows are protected with steel-doors and iron bars, with a 6pm to 6am electricity daily. Despite of the preventive measures taken, the armed gang attacked and forced their way into the residence after damaging the well-built steel door to the garage’s entrance.

According to a press release issued in Monrovia, the unknown armed gang forced their way in the Residence after they have broken down the steel door to the garage entrance. They took away valuable items from the Liberian diplomat wife Toyota Corolla vehicle after forcing their way into the car. The gang that attempted to take away the vehicle, but failed, also took away the vehicle’s registration document after they ransacked it.

Among valuable the items and personal belongings taken from the vehicle include one Dell Laptop (in which Mr. Gray private and official documents including his final draft of his 450-page doctorate dissertation are stored); car battery, two tyres, vehicle radiator, IPod 4 mobile phone purchased from Dirty Mobile Center in Paris, France. The value of the phone is US$1,000.

The gang also made away from the vehicle a Carrora goggle purchased from Louis Vinton in Paris, France, worth US$800.00; four new French coat suits (black and brown) purchased in Paris, France, valued at US$1,200.00, radiator from the vehicle and personal funds about L$16,000.00 and US$375.00.

According to the release, Mr. Gray who is currently in Monrovia on an official trip said: I have always felt safe and my personal affects secured because of the protective measure accorded the vehicle while was packed in the garage of my residence.

Besides, the gang also took away from the garage three new Samsung 9,000 BTU air conditions A.C.( that were it in the garage to be installed on Saturday, October 19), two electrical generators (2kva and 3.5kva), attire and foot-wears, eight pieces of white plastic chairs, a new wheelbarrow and two shovels, among other items. The looting done on the vehicle has partly damaged it while the armed gang also killed and took away my three-year old well cherished dog.

According to the release, few days to the attack on Mr. Gray’s residence, some unknown armed gang also robbed two separated homes in the community after hey held the occupants under guns points. In the same week, another residence, fenced, was also attack by unknown gang who made away generator and dog.

Meanwhile, the Liberian Diplomat has officially communicated to the Inspector-General of the Liberia National Police, Col. Clarence C. Massaquoi on the attack on his residence and other households in the community.

In the letter addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, signed for by Patrolman, Grace Appleton (#4400), Mr. Gray narrated that despite the hard luck the unknown armed gangsters enjoyed during their criminal sojourn, he (Gray) and his family remain ever thankful to the Most High because for some blessed reasons armed gang could not break through the garage door that links to the living room.

He indicated in the communication that had the armed robbers had the right away in the living room and the various bedrooms where he and his family were sleeping during the armed gang attack, they would have inflicted serious terror that would have affected precious lives including the little innocent ones thereby instilling perpetual human tragedy.

The Liberian diplomat said his residence is just one of several houses and dozens of residents residing in the Paynesville Thinker Village-Old Field’s Community which has been attacked by armed gang and robbed of several valuable items. The attacks on the peaceful residents of the community have worsened in recent time.

In the letter dated October 17, 2013, Mr. Gray said: Since the Wednesday’s gang attack on my residence, my family and I; also including some residents has increased the gravity of fear lingering all over the place and so terrible to an extent that residents are consistently and persistently on their feet and completely very low on sleep.

He added that choked with the very fear, and with the rainy season now in full swing, the residents of the fate hangs in the balance in the absence of a vigorous police routine patrol in the community, stressing that with this prevailing state of condition the heartless and notorious armed bandits will find the community as a festival center if vigorous action is not taken.

In the communication, the Liberian diplomat said even though our community has been hit by these thugs, with all due respect and esteem courtesy, and from the strike of any imagination, your ascendency at the helm of authority of the Liberia National Police; imbued with the display of the finest taste of professionalism and discipline has progressively changed the landscape of effective and efficient police’s operations.

He said the police unflinching efforts to bring maximum peace and security to the proud and great people of Liberia in bringing to book armed robbers, gangsters and petty criminals, persons with infamous characters as well as those bent on unleashing terror on innocent and peaceful citizens and foreigners, have appreciated the good work of the police to protect lives and properties.