Police Arrest Members Of Car Theft Syndicate, Recover Stolen Vehicles

Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested three suspects involved in car theft and the illegal sale of stolen vehicles. The suspects, identified as Temidayo Folajimi, Rotimi Akinsanoye, and Waheed Adekanmbi, were found to be part of a syndicate that specialises in stealing cars using master keys.

At a press briefing held at the police headquarters in Akure, the state capital, Commissioner of Police Wilfred Afolabi explained that Akinsanoye, who possesses the master key, would steal cars and hand them over to Folajimi. Folajimi would then sell the vehicles to auto parts dealers, including Adekanmbi in Owode Onirin, Lagos State, who would dismantle the cars and sell the parts to buyers.

The stolen vehicles, which included a Toyota Camry, a Honda CRV, two Toyota Corollas (2003 and 2005 models), and two additional Toyota Corollas, were traced by the police. Two vehicles were recovered, while five others had been destroyed, dismantled, and sold as spare parts.

Afolabi further explained that a case of car theft was reported at Oke Aro, Akure, involving one of the stolen vehicles. The car was flagged at the licensing office after an individual attempted to register it.

The man, who claimed to have purchased the vehicle for N4.3 million from a car dealer, Temidayo Folajimi, was later traced to Akinsanoye. During questioning, Akinsanoye confessed to being the mastermind behind the thefts, admitting to having moved seven stolen vehicles out of the state.

Meanwhile, Adekanmbi is currently in custody, assisting the police with their investigation to confirm the details of the destroyed vehicles and their sale as spare parts.