The operatives of Rapid Response
Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, has recovered 8 stolen vehicles
from a member of a syndicate specializing in trans-border crime and stealing
vehicles in Lagos and moving them to Ogun and neighbouring countries to sell.
The operatives of RRS, who were
working on a reported case of stolen Toyota Corolla from where it was parked
in Ikeja Business District, Lagos, tracked the vehicle on Thursday night to a
compound in Kobape, Abeokuta, belonging to a car dealer.
According to the report, It was
gathered that the Toyota Corolla, grey, 2004 model with registration number,
KRD 759, belonging to Mrs. Olaitan Lawal, was removed from the car park
during a church programme at Ikeja, at about 6:00 pm on Thursday before it
was found around 1:00 a.m. on Friday.
According to the owner of the car,
“I took my car to the church and I parked it at the space designated for
parking. After the church service, I went back to pick my car to go home, but
I couldn’t find the car.
She continued that, immediately, I
called Lagos emergency line on 112 and I reported to the representative. As
if that was not enough, I went straight to Area F in Ikeja, to equally lodge
the complaint.
At the station, the Divisional
Police Officer (DPO) connected me to the Commander of RRS, Assistant
Commissioner of Police, ACP Olatunji Disu, as capable hand to handle the
case.
“The DPO also gave me the
Commander's phone number, and, when I called him, he assured me that my car
would be found. By this time, it was around 9:00 p.m. at night.
At home, I couldn’t sleep until
around, 12:15 a.m. after midnight when I saw the Commander’s call requesting
that I describe my car. I gave him, and he told me that he had found my car somewhere in Abeokuta. I couldn’t believe my
ears. In about six hours interval, my car was found", she added”.
The RRS' surveillance team moved
to Abeokuta that same night which led to the arrest of two prime suspects who
have confessed their connections with the recovered Corolla and seven other stolen
cars presently at the RRS headquarters.
The suspects, Samuel Adebeshin,
56, the receiver of the stolen vehicles, who lives at 13 Kobape Road,
Abeokuta, and an accomplice, Adeyemi Kamoru, 50, repeatedly maintained that
the eight vehicles were all stolen at different locations in Lagos.
In his confessional statement,
"I have been in auto business for thirty years. I know all these cars
brought to me were all stolen cars but I thought I was safe enough here in my
palatial compound.
He explained that about two years
ago, I met Kamoru Adeyemi. He was the middleman between me and the car
thieves. He was the one who introduced Alhaji Tajudeen and one honourable,
both still at large, to me as car dealers and crossers from Benin Republic.
Later on, I discovered they were
car snatchers from Lagos. At this point, I couldn’t back out from the deal.
Anytime they bring cars to me, it was Adeyemi who I give money to pay them
because I didn't want people to identify me with them", the suspected
criminal added.
He further said, "In the year
2014, I bought one Honda from them at the rate of three hundred thousand
naira, but its market value was around Nine Hundred Thousand Naira then.
The money was given to Adeyemi. I
later sold the car for Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira six months
after.
Also, in the month of January
2015, I bought another Honda Accord 2000 model from them again; I also paid
the thieves through our middleman, Adeyemi".
The suspect, who married two wives
with seven children, noted that he had built two houses, two flats and an
8-room bungalow from this shady business.
In his words, "I built my
first house, an 8 room-bungalow in 2006, and the second one, two flats in
2015 where I keep the stolen vehicles as they arrive from Lagos.
Once they bring the cars for me,
we would repaint it, change their number plates and chassis numbers, and take
them to neighbouring countries for sale.
He continued that,
"Occasionally, I sold to people at my car mart, S. Aro Motors situated
at 1, Kuto Road, Isabo, Abeokuta. On this penultimate day, at about 5:00 p.m.
on Thursday, Adeyemi called me that our boys have brought another Toyota
Corolla for sale. By this time, I wasn't at home, but I instructed my first
son to open gate for them.
The car was parked in my premises,
awaiting the usual refurbishment and painting.
"However, At about 12:30 a.m,
a team of policemen came to my house and asked me to give account of the
Toyota Corolla car. I opened up to them. I told them that all those involved
are Adeyemi, Alhaji Tajudeen Bello and Honourable. They brought all those
cars to me.
I took the Police to Adeyemi's
residence where he was arrested while others were still at large", he
narrated.
On his part, Adeyemi disclosed
that poverty pushed him into the crime. He confessed: “I met Adebeshin some
years back. Before now, I do assist him to cross vehicle from Benin to
Nigeria.
Anytime those boys went for
operation and succeeded, they will call me, and I will inform him that we
have another car. And I will drive the car to his premises in Kobape where
buyers usually come to buy them.
He explained, "In any deal we
do, they paid me Thirty - Thousand Naira. On this day, one of the car
snatchers called me to meet them at Sagamu interchange. On getting there, I
found out they have another stolen car.
According to him, "I led them
from Sagamu interchange to Adebesin's house. Alhaji drove the stolen car,
while Bello drove Pontiac black colour. This was the first time I will be
arrested in connection with stolen cars. It was poverty and frustration that
led me to this criminal act".
The other seven vehicles recovered
from Adebeshin's compound were Mercedes Benz 230; Acura MDX; Murano,
Volkswagen Passat station wagon, Renault, Pontiac and Toyota Camry.
The Lagos State Police
Spokesperson, Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, said the suspects
are helping the Police with investigations.
She added that efforts are ongoing
to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate
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