Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have cracked down on an alleged car-snatching syndicate, arresting three suspects and recovering five vehicles believed to have been stolen across different locations.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday in Lagos.
According to Adebisi, the operation was triggered after a complaint was lodged over a missing Toyota Camry 2008 model, setting detectives on the trail of the suspects through an intelligence-driven investigation.
She explained that the stolen vehicle was intercepted during an attempted re-registration, following the deployment of technical and tactical intelligence by police operatives.
The breakthrough, she noted, exposed a wider network allegedly involved in car theft and robbery activities.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate operates within Lagos state, while concealing and disposing of stolen vehicles in Ibadan and Ilorin.”
Adebisi said investigators tracked down and arrested a 58-year-old suspect in Ibadan, where another Toyota Corolla 2008 model, suspected to have been stolen, was recovered.
She added that sustained interrogation and investigation later led operatives to Ilorin, where two additional suspects, both aged 53, were apprehended.
The police spokesperson further revealed that a Toyota Camry 2008 model and a Toyota Corolla 2006 model, both believed to be stolen, were recovered from the suspects.
She also stated that detectives recovered another Toyota Camry 2012 model that had earlier been sold to an unsuspecting buyer in Ibadan.
According to Adebisi, the suspects admitted involvement in several car-snatching and robbery operations carried out within and outside Lagos State.
She said police authorities were still trailing other fleeing members of the gang, while efforts were underway to recover more vehicles linked to the syndicate.
Adebisi further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Fatai Tijani, praised the operatives for what he described as their professionalism and dedication in the fight against crime.
