Police Arrest 23 Car Theft Suspects, Recover 13 Vehicles In FCT
The Federal Capital Police Command has arrested a total of 23 car suspects and has recovered 13 vehicles as a part of its agenda to rid the city of all forms of crime and criminality.
The FCT Police Commissioner, Olatunji Disu paraded the suspects in Abuja on Wednesday.
The first category of suspected car thieves were Aji Thomas, 32, Amobi Ndukwe, 40, and Amaechi Sampson, 26.
The FCT said the trio, until the recent arrest, belonged to a notorious four-man gang that specialised in armed robbery and car snatching.
The gang, the command said, is led by one Chidebere with an unknown surname,
who is currently at large. They operate within FCT, Nassarawa, Kaduna and Kano states.
The police said their mode of operation includes trailing unsuspecting victims to a convenient location where they strike, and dispossess them of their vehicles and any other valuables they can find.
They also proceed to disengage any tracking gadgets they can find installed in the vehicle, taking it to any of the above-mentioned states where they have ready buyers on standby.
The FCT CP said, “It is important to note that two of the suspects; Aji Thomas and Amobi Ndukwe are ex-convicts and have served their time in the prison and were released, but were still on the commands watchlist went back to rejoin their other gang members who escaped arrest the last time.
“The suspects were arrested while attempting to sell a stolen blue Toyota Corolla vehicle with Registration Number KTW 2155D to one of the Command undercover operatives.
“During interrogation, they admitted to operating in Garki for the past year and a half, claiming responsibility for numerous car thefts within the metropolis.”
The next category of paraded suspect was a mechanic who was contracted to operate on a Honda Accord 2006 model, belonging to an FCT resident, Philemon Olaoluwa.
The mechanic picked up the vehicle at the victim’s residence for repairs. Unknown of his movies, the vehicle was released to him alongside its document in the car.
The mechanic, however, absconded with the said vehicle to an unknown destination.
CP Disu said, “With the aid of Digital Tracking technology installed in the car, Police operatives of the FCT Command tracked the vehicle to Rayfield Jos, Plateau state where it was found in possession of one Joseph Abang who confessed that he received the vehicle from his accomplice, Abdulhamid Saidu.
“It may interest you to know that Joseph Abang is a notorious car theft suspect who specialises in receiving, rebranding and selling off vehicles stolen by his accomplices.
“Joseph Abangwas arrested at his workshop, and two additional vehicles— a Hyundai Accent and Peugeot 208—undergoing rebranding and suspected to be stolen, were also recovered from him.
“He confessed to having rebranded and sold over sixteen (16) vehicles in the past four (4) years. He is in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.”
The next category includes the arrest of one-chance syndicates also known as armed robbers. The 12-man syndicate were arrested by police operatives on October 12.
Upon their arrest, six vehicles suspected to be their operational vehicle and one locally made Barreta pistol were covered by the gang.
The CP narrated, “It will interest you to know that the first three suspects belong to a gang of one-chance operators who specialise in masquerading as Police and DSS officers, pick up unsuspecting victims and take them to unknown locations demanding ransom for their release.
“Luck ran out on them when on 12 October 2024, following a complaint from one Jeremiah David and Amaka Humina, both of Nasarawa state at Anti-One chance office that on the same date at about 12:00PM, they were stopped by three men in a white coloured Toyota Camry with Registration number ABJ 221 BV while on transit from Keffi to Abuja.
“The suspects forcefully ejected them from their vehicle claiming to be officers from the Department of State Service (DSS) who are on investigations.
“They proceeded to drive them to an unknown destination, demanded that they call their family and raise money for their release.
“The suspects transferred the sum of four hundred thousand naira (N400,000) from the victims and also collected an iPhone 14 pro max, iPhone 15 pro, Samsung S20 and a Samsung S8 plus from the victims.
“On receipt of the Complaint, Police Operatives FCT Command trailed and arrested them.”
Police Arrest 23 Car Theft Suspects, Recover 13 Vehicles In FCT is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
