The police in Lagos State on Saturday arrested one Bamigboye Imoleayo, who allegedly stole the Automated Teller Machine, ATM, card belonging to a man, identified only as Alli, and withdrawing N300,000 from the victim’s bank account.
The victim was said to have met the 24-year-old woman, a clubber, penultimate Friday, at a club in the Surulere area of the state.
Alli reportedly made an online transaction on his phone when he was ‘hanging out’ with the suspect, unknown to him, the suspect was spying on him and had in the process memorized his PIN.
According to the Punch, Alli dozed off during a conversation with Imoleayo, during which the latter made away with the ATM card.
Imoleayo reportedly made an initial withdrawal of N90,000 from the victim’s bank account through the ATM card before she proceeded to making subsequent withdrawals.
The victim, narrating his ordeal said, “I thought I had misplaced the card, not knowing that the lady stole it.
“I was shocked on Saturday afternoon when I received alerts amounting to N90,000 withdrawals.
“While I was still contemplating how to deal with the issue, I got another debit alert for buying two Infinix phones totalling N84,000. I was confused and shocked.
“On Sunday, there was another debit. I lodged a complaint on Monday at my bank and I was told that the withdrawals and shoppings were legitimately done by me.
“I reported at the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the Lagos State Police Command on Monday after informing my bank. By then, the withdrawals and shoppings had totalled N300,000,” he wailed.
Operatives of the RRS were said to have launched a manhunt for Imoleayo after the victim reported the incident.
She was, however, arrested alongside three accomplices, including her boyfriend, Adeyinka Ayodele, with whom she allegedly spent the loot in the Itori area of Ogun State.
Following her arrest, the suspect, in her statement to the police, said, “I stole the card when the victim slept off after we had sex.
“I was desperate to restock my shop at Wasimi in Ogun State, and also take care of my only daughter.
“After I spied on his PIN during the banking transaction on his phone, I intended to withdraw only N20,000 out of his bank account and then destroy the card, however, when I withdrew the money and checked the account balance, I was shocked to see he had a lot of money. Afterwards, I withdrew another N70,000 that day.
“The following day, I called my boyfriend, who instructed me not to destroy the card, but that I should come to Itori, Ogun State, where he resides. On getting there, he called two of his friends, Abimbola Akintanna and Owolabi Bamidele, to use the card at the nearest bank. We took the card to a shopping mall in Abeokuta, where they bought clothes alued at N126,000, two phones valued at N84,000; and recharge cards, valued at N2,500.
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Dolapo Badmos, urged members of public to always protect their PIN during banking transactions.
She noted that the suspects and exhibits have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Yaba, for prosecution.
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