Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Police Command, recently arrested a four-man gang that stole a Toyota Avensis saloon car from the home of its owner at Magodo Estate, Ketu. Femi Ogbonnikan spoke with the car thieves at the RRS headquarters, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja
This is not the best of times for a four-man car snatching gang that is currently singing like canaries in the protective custody of the operatives attached to the Special Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti Street, Yaba, Lagos.
Nemesis caught up with the four men recently as they were apprehended by the operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), a security outfit of the Lagos State Government, as they attempted to dispose of a stolen Toyota Avensis saloon car removed from the home of its owner at Magodo Estate, Ketu, Lagos.
An informed police source hinted that one of the suspects, Abass Ope, 24-year-old, who happened to have worked with the man as chauffeur, was allegedly fingered to have invaded the Magodo home of his former boss, removed the vehicle, television sets and a pet dog.
It was gathered that the suspect confessed that the demand of his younger siblings for the yuletide and new festivities forced him to take to stealing the car and the household items, in order to raise funds.
The suspect, Ope, who hails from Ogun State was arrested at Ojuelegba, Surulere area of Lagos by a decoy team of Rapid Response Squad of the State Police Command, on December 26, 2016 (last Boxing Day).
It was learnt that the suspect was picked up by the police detectives while trying to sell off his ex-boss’s Toyota Avensis 2013 model with the registration number AGL 734 AR (Lagos) for a sum of N2 million.
Arrested along with him were three of his friends: Balogun Oluwaseun (23); Sanni Azeez (23) and Stephen Ewiele (22).
Ope had during Christmas period stormed his boss’ Magodo home while he and his family were holidaying in Delta State, with a conspirator to move a 100 inches LCD TV, another 42 inches LCD TV, a dog, a suitcase, two DSTV decoders and a Toyota Avensis, from the home.
THISDAY further learnt that the suspect invaded the home of his ex-boss on December 26, after learning that he (ex-boss) and family members had travelled to Delta State for the Christmas festivity, while also the security guard of the house had gone to church.
The police source said that the suspect was aware of where his former boss usually kept keys, leading to his rooms which made it easy for him to commit the crime.
It was revealed that his ex-boss, on getting report of the missing vehicle and property called the suspect for more than two occasions to intimate him of the development but he denied knowledge of the incident.
The source further added that the boss had to cut short his holiday in Delta with his family and reported the incident at Magodo Police Station.
The source added that the car owner was shocked when an operative of the RRS called him on phone, to notify him of his recovered vehicle because, he never reported the theft at the RRS headquarters, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.
According to Ope, “I removed the car because I had no money to take care of myself and my younger ones. They had no clothes, no shoes and this is Yuletide season. They looked up to me to take care of these expenses. All responsibilities are on my neck.
“It was about three months ago, that I left Mr. Ekinodo (his former boss). I had worked for him for four years, before leaving him on August, 2016. I left because he had a little challenge and things were pretty tough for him. I left so that he could have himself sorted out.”
He continued, “he was a very nice boss to work with. He enrolled me into university but I couldn’t continue the education when I left him. While he had this challenge, he owed me eight months salary arrears, and this prompted me to take his property and the vehicle. I thought through that means I could raise money to get back my money (outstanding eight months salary) which he was owing me and settle other needs
“When I drove the car to the auto dealer, the man wanted to pay N2 million for the car but I insisted he should pay N4 million, because I know its value more than what he had agreed to offer me.
“Initially, he wanted to offer me N1million instantly, after which he promised that the balance would be ready in about few minutes time, which I believed it wasn’t certain, but I decided to ignore the offer, hoping that the dealer would call me back for a re-negotiation.
“Few hours later, I went back to his outlet at Ojuelegba in company of three of my friends, and that was when RRS operatives arrested us,” he stated.
The three other suspects (Balogun Oluwaseun, Sanni Azeez and Stephen Ewiele), in their own separate confessions, said they were called upon by Ope who told them he had been duped by the auto dealer over the sale of the stolen Toyota Avensis saloon car.
Mr. Ekinodo Ifoghale said, “I am in shock. This is a guy I treated like a son. Apart from my wife, he was the closest person to me. This is a guy that did my shopping for me. Even, before I buy anything for myself, I bought for him first.
“How can I owe him eight-month salary arrears when he never worked for me in those periods in question? Did he inform me that I owed him? He was never in my house during the periods he claimed. I called him more than twice when I got the report of the break in. He told me he knew nothing about it. If he had told me he needed money, I would have given him because we were still very close, despite the fact that he was no longer working for me,” he added.
While confirming the report, Dolapo Badmos, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), a Superintendent of Police (SP), advised members of the public to always do a thorough background check on their domestic servants so as not to expose themselves to the antics of potential criminals.
According to her, the suspects had been transferred to the operatives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, Lagos, for further probe into the matter.
