Police arrest pickpocket ‘who had stolen over 240 mobile phones’

The police in Lagos said its Rapid Response Squad team arrested a 27-year-old pickpocket who had allegedly “stolen over 240 mobile phones from Lagos commuters.”

Muyiwa Adejobi, the police spokesperson, said in a statement Monday that the suspect, Ayomide Sikiru, a resident of Mushin, was arrested around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The police said the arrest was after the suspect had successfully picked a Tecno Camon 12 from the hand bag of an elderly woman when she was trying to board a commercial bus to Ojodu-Berger, Lagos.

“The suspect, after stealing the phone, tried to alight from the bus but was restrained by a passenger who challenged him to return the phone he stole,” Mr Adejobi said.

“He denied stealing any phone until RRS officers stationed at Iyana Oworo searched and recovered the phone along with an iPhone 7 and another mobile phone from his bag. The owners of the phones had been contacted immediately,” the police said.

Mr Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police, said the suspect said he has been in the business of pickpocketing for 14 months, after learning the illegal “business” in 15 days from one Sakiru. He also reportedly confessed that he operates only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The suspect has been transferred to SCID Panti, Yaba, for proper investigation, the police said.

In another development, the police said they arrested a dismissed soldier in Nigerian Army Uniform attacking and robbing commuters at Ogudu area of Lagos on Sunday.

The police said the suspect, Johnson Godday, is from Edo State and was attached to NA 149 Batallion, Ojo, Lagos, before he was dismissed from the Nigerian Army.

The suspect was arrested on Sunday after one of his victims, Onyebuchi Nwanga, reported that he was attacked by two men in military uniform around 10:15 p.m.

“One Onyebuchi Nwanga ‘m’ of Bayo Oshinowo Street, Ogudu, Lagos reported that at about 22:15pm of Sunday 21st February, 2021, while alighting from a tricycle with his friends at Emmanuel street junction, they suddenly noticed two men, on motorcycle, in military uniform, who attacked them and snatched his Infinix Smart 5 phone.

“When they raised an alarm, the policemen attached to Ogudu Division on duty around the scene came to their rescue and arrested the suspect in army uniform while the other, also in the Nigerian Army uniform, escaped with the motorcyclist.

“The snatched phone was immediately recovered from the suspect,” the police said.

The suspect will be taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.