A suspected car theft syndicate operating within Ondo and neighbouring states has been busted by the state Police Command.
In the operation led by the Tactical Intelligence Squad (TIS) of the command, four suspects were also arrested, and three stolen vehicles also recovered.
Among those who were arrested include a 32-year-old man, Afolabi Emmanuel who reportedly stole a 2016 model Toyota Camry from the residence of one Amokun Victor in Oka-Akoko.
Parading the suspects at the police headquarters along Igbatoro Road in Akure, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi said the stolen vehicle was sold to one of the accomplices in Ogori-Magongo, Kogi State.
According to the CP, the stolen Camry, with a market value of N12 million was sold for a paltry N700,000.
Afolabi said, “The suspect confessed to scaling the fence of the victim’s compound, breaking into the apartment, carting away valuables and eventually driving off with the vehicle. Further investigations led to the recovery of two more vehicles, including a Toyota Sienna worth N6 million, which had been sold for N4 million.”
The police CP, who further disclosed that the gang was responsible for a string of vehicle thefts across the state, said the ringleader is based in Lagos but frequently visited Akungba-Akoko, where his father resides.
His words, “It was during these visits that he would identify potential targets before launching the theft operations. These suspects have been a menace, instilling fear in residents and dispossessing them of their hard-earned belongings. Their arrest is a significant blow to the network of criminals operating across state lines.”
The CP expressed the Command’s commitment to the protection of lives and property in Ondo State. “Our goal is to ensure that citizens can sleep soundly at night without fear.”
