â€˜Weâ€™ve Been Snatching Cars For 8 Yearsâ€™

The Isheri-Oshun Police Division in Lagos State Nigeria have arrested two robbery suspects who confessed that they have been into car snatching for eight years and that their wives know they were robbers though they were not going out with them.

â€¢The robbery suspects after their arrest following the discovery of the car where it was parked.

According to the suspects, Jude Nneze, 28 and 24-year old Viginus Ihegwe, they were motor spare parts sellers but when the business collapsed, they went into robbery specialising in car snatching.

They also disclosed that they sell the cars at give-away prices, such as N100,000 to N200,000 to buyers of second-hand cars.

They claimed that when they snatch any car, they take it to a place and change the glasses if they printed number on it, change the plate number, block engine and then sell the car as tokunbo to motor dealers at a cheaper rate.

The gang was arrested at Ijegun area on the outskirts of Lagos with a stolen Honda car with registration number JW 125 AAA that belongs to Iyama Englena.

According to police sources, the men snatched the car at gun point along Airport road, Lagos when the owner, who is a Deeper Life Church member, was returning from evening service at about 9.30 p.m last week.

After snatching the car, they took it to Amusa Idowu Way, Ijegun, where they had perfected plans to change the glasses and engine block before selling it to a buyer.

But luck ran out on them when the police at Isheri Oshun division acted on a tip-off and arrested the two suspects with the vehicle.

The arrested men further revealed that there are other vehicles that they had snatched and sold.

When the police visited their residence, they discovered spare parts of a vehicle with an inscription of a company based in Cross River State, In Lak Company. Police suspected the vehicle was stolen by the gang.

When P.M.NEWS visited the police station, the divisional police officer, declined to comment on the matter and referred the reporter to Anti-Robbery unit at Area â€˜Fâ€™ in Ikeja, where the matter has been transferred to.

When our reporter contacted the anti-robbery unit, a police source confirmed the arrest and said the men had been transferred to their unit and full investigation had commenced.

â€”Cyriacus Izuekwe

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4 Comments

Chukwuemeka says:

August 25, 2010 at 9:21 am

It is high time the Nigerian police stop deceiving themselves. How many of those buying these stolen vehicles have so far been arrested.? Why is it that the police has not shown a bit of intelligence in their mode of operation by using the arrested suspects to track down the main shots in the dirty business? The police, each time they arrested any car snatchers, always ended up with the primary aspect of their duty, while they left undone the secondary aspect which should have been to use the primary suspects and track down the secondary suspects whose role should have considered more severe. What am talking about here is that when the police arrests any vehicle snatchers, they should use the arrested suspects to track down those who patronize and encourage them into such nefarious activities before parading all to the press and the public. Maybe on the other hand, the second hand car dealers involved in such dirty business are having the police on their pay role. Most likely, this might be one reason why the police never bothered to step any further with their investigation whenever arrests were made. They simply ended up with their parade of such primary suspects before the press. The public wants to see and know the real criminals who often patronize and encourage these minor criminals. The police should therefore add a bit of intelligence to their work they genuinely lack this, instead of looking stupid. Let the police commence immediate routine checks on all the second hand car and other vehicle dealer’s depots across the country. Find out from whom they claim to have bought the vehicles in their respective depots and make possible contacts to where necessary to ascertain the truth in their claims. Involve inter-pol where and when necessary.

Hacker Coo says:

August 25, 2010 at 8:53 am

They have been operating for 8 years and couldnt retire until they were caught. They sure deserve EXTRA -JUDICIAL KILLING. The police please over to you.