We raise false alarms to enable us rob motorists – Suspect

The Lagos state Police Command has paraded a suspected traffic robber, Biodun Omoyeni, who was arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad on the Lekki-Ajah Expressway during operation on Saturday.

According to reports, the other gang member, identified only as Rasaq, 24, fled the scene while Omoyeni was arrested.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest.

While parading the suspect, the PPRO said there would be no place for criminals in the state, adding that the duo usually raised false alarm that vehicles’ tyres had been deflated and when motorists came down to see the damage, one of the gang members would steal valuables from the cars.

“The suspects had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja,” the PPRO added.

Omoyeni, 22, who hails from Ibadan, Oyo State, confessed that his gang stole 19 phones and three laptops from motorists by lying to the victims that the tyres of their vehicles had deflated.

In his confession, the suspect who claimed to have gone into robbery because of joblessness, stated that he was not an armed robber as he did not carry any weapon. He disclosed that he and four others trained as robbers in the Mushin area before they relocated to the Lekki-Ajah Expressway.

“I met Rasaq in Ikorodu. He was homeless and we had been to four operations together. We stole up to 19 phones in the operations. We always operate in the Ajah area. Once there is traffic, we strategise to operate.

“My friend would call a motorist that the tyre of his car was punctured and while he came down, we would steal phones, money, wallets, and other valuables from the other side of the vehicle through the window.”

One of the motorists, said to have fallen for the suspects’ trick, identified only as Eugene, told The Punch he failed to roll up the glasses of his vehicle, adding that they stole three phones.

Meanwhile, one of the buyers of the stolen phones has also been arrested by the police. It was gathered that the buyer bought some of the phones for N2,500, and others for N3,500.

#motorists #robbers