Police arrest seven-man car snatching syndicate

A seven-man car snatching syndicate operating between Lagos and Kwara states was paraded at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, yesterday.

Two of the members were dismissed soldiers. One was dismissed in 2014 while the other was dismissed in 2017.

Speaking during the parade, spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspects were arrested through diligent investigation.

“We arrested six of them in Lagos and one other in Ilorin, Kwara State. They specialise in using military uniforms to snatch vehicles from motorists.

“They have stolen 13 cars. We recovered two. One of the cars has been butchered and sold as spare parts.

“They have two firearms. They stop motorists who think they are soldiers,” he said.

One of the suspects, Amos Daniel, said he was employed as a driver on June 23, but fled with the employer’s Lexus car the same day.

“That was the first time I stole a car, and I only stole it to do Uber, to fend for my four children and my wife. I only wanted to use the car for four days and return it but I didn’t tell my employer. I went to church to give testimony.”

Another suspect, 25-year-old Stephen Kesh-David, said he stole cars when someone brought them to him for repairs in Falomo.