The Ondo State Police Command says it has arrested two suspected car thieves in the Akure area of the state in a collaborative operation with the Federal Road Safety Corps.
This is just as the command said it recovered a vehicle that was stolen at gunpoint in Warri, Delta State, in 2022 from the suspects.
The spokesperson for the command, Jimoh Kazeem, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the suspects had approached the Akure office of the National Vehicle Identification Scheme to renew the car’s particulars.
He explained that during the process, officials of the FRSC discovered that the vehicle had never been registered, prompting a discreet investigation.
He said, “Preliminary verification revealed that the vehicle’s registration number had not been captured on the NVIS portal, prompting a discreet and thorough investigation.
“Subsequent inquiries confirmed that the Lexus ES350 was forcefully stolen at gunpoint in Warri, Delta State, in February 2022.
“Acting on this development, operatives of the Tactical Intelligence Response Squad arrested Alawuye, male, aged 31 years, and Tosin, male, aged 32 years, in connection with the crime and successfully recovered the vehicle.”
The PPRO noted that the suspects were assisting with information that could lead to the arrest of other members of the syndicate, adding that efforts were ongoing to return the vehicle to its owner.
“The suspects have made useful statements that are currently aiding efforts to apprehend other members of the criminal network.
“In furtherance of strong inter-command collaboration between the Ondo State Police Command and the Delta State Police Command, arrangements have been concluded for the release of the recovered vehicle to its rightful owner in Delta State.
“The Commissioner of Police reaffirmed the command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Ondo State and urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information that would assist the police in sustaining effective crime prevention efforts,” Kazeem concluded.
Read the full article here
