Four-man car theft syndicate arrested in Lagos, vehicles recovered
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin
The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a man, Kazeem Ahmed, who specialised in using fabricated master keys to steal vehicles in the Ikorodu area of the state.
The police also arrested three suspects, Ethel Ohamadike, Young Eze, 31, and Chukwuwando Okoye, 38, for buying the stolen vehicles from Ahmed.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Ahmed usually targeted vehicles parked outside the premises of their buildings.
After stealing the vehicles, it was learnt that Ahmed usually sold them to auto parts sellers in the Ladipo market area of the state.
The auto parts seller, after taking delivery of the vehicles, usually cuts them into different parts for onward sale to unsuspecting customers who usually patronise them in the market.
Speaking with our correspondent, a source, who refused to be mentioned because he is authorised to speak to the media, said Ahmed was arrested after someone who had been suspecting his criminal activities reported the case to the police.
The source said, “Kazeem Ahmed specialises in removing vehicles from where it was parked with different fabricated master keys. So, when people started suspecting his criminal activities in the area, a report was made against him.
“It was after the report was made that the police arrested him and also recovered a vehicle and what he usually used to steal the vehicles. He was arrested at Lucky Fiber.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, when contacted, confirmed that following Ahmed’s arrest, an investigation was extended to the Ladipo market where the police arrested three suspects linked to the crime.
He said, “Information was received from a good citizen about the nefarious act of one Kazeem Ahmed, 42, who specialises in removing vehicles from where they were parked with different fabricated master keys.
“Based on the strength of this information, operatives of the Lagos State Command investigated and arrested the suspect at the Lucky Fiber area of Ikorodu, Lagos, and one Toyota Camry saloon car was recovered from him.
“Investigations led police operatives to the Ladipo auto parts market, where one Ethel Ohamadike, who bought and sold the stolen cars, was also arrested.”
Hundeyin explained that further investigation led the operatives to a different plaza in the same market where the two other people Ethel sold the cars to were arrested.
Hundeyin said, “The two people are one Young Eze, 31, and Chukwuwando Okoye, 38, who were also arrested and two Toyota Camry saloon cars were recovered. All the exhibits and suspects are in police custody while the investigation is ongoing.”
