A suspected pickpocket, Dapo Simeon, alongside seven others, was at the weekend arrested by officers of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the Lagos State Police Command.
Simeon, a 27-year-old trained bricklayer from Oyo State, was arrested for allegedly robbing passers-by in Ojota, Ketu, and Mile 12 at night.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday, the spokesperson of the state Police Command, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrests, noting that Simeon and his members confessed to the offence and had given the police useful statement that would assist in their prosecution.
In his confession, the suspect told the Punch that he started as a pickpocket over three years ago before graduating into robbery.
“I specialise in stealing phones, jewellery and money. That’s how I survive.
“I can’t remember the number of phones I have stolen and collected from passers-by in Ojota, Ketu and Mile 12.
“I was trained by Olasege and later Femi. Both of them are my bosses; they live in Mushin, Idi – Oro area. They taught me the job.
“I sell all the phones I get at night or the previous day to Baba Iyabo. He comes to Down Blow area in Mile 12 to collect the phones and jewellery very early in the morning,” Simeon added.
Their arrests came shortly after two young women, who were robbed the previous (Friday) night at MKO Garden, near Ojota, reported to RRS monitors attached to the area.
The operatives followed the women to the scene of the robbery where they met two men, John Obinna and Sunday Ugwu. Their arrest led to the arrest of other members of the syndicate: Chinonso Onnogo, Chuka Eze, Kadir Afolabi, Segun Pascal, and David Bassey.
After interviewing and searching the duo, the officers saw suspected stolen phones and an unused sim card, which was traced to its original owner, Adebayo Ogunleye.
Mr. Ogunleye, in a statement at the RRS Headquarters, Alausa, said he was waylaid by an assailant between Ojota and Mile 12.
“The robber in trying to collect my two phones, macheted and head-butted me into surrendering my phones (Microsoft Lumia 535 & Tecno T5) and wallet containing BVN Card, First Bank verve card, and MasterCard among others.
“It was God’s intervention that I was not killed that night as I was struggling for survival before I was able to cross to the other side of the road and escape,” he added in the statement.
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