The operatives of Rapid Response
Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a man who specialised in
stealing laptops and properties of conference and seminar participants in Lagos
State.
The suspect, Ikemefuna Aje, 47, was
arrested on Wednesday afternoon by the operatives after he had gate-crashed
into a seminar organised for internet brand managers at a popular hotel in GRA,
Ikeja, Lagos. He made away with 5 MacBooks, one HP computer and some assorted
personal effects of the workshop participants.
Ikemufuna, captured in the CCTV
camera around the venue of the event, drove into the venue, before heading
straight into seminar precisely when the participants were having launch in
another room.
The suspect, who was corporately
dressed, wore the tag of seminar participants before making away with the
items.
He had after stealing the said
items, took them to computer village, Ikeja and sold 5 Mac Books and one HP
computer to one Saliu Ibraheem for N1, 110, 000:00.
RRS operatives in tracking the
suspect traced him to 5, Tony Street, Ejigbo, Lagos where he was hosting about
34 other church members in an house – fellowship.
Recovered from his house after the
arrest were a car a 4Runner Toyota, with the registration No. KRD 701 DC,
driven into the venue by the suspect, a master key, Zinox laptop, several
computer bags, computer and tablet accessories as well as seminar materials and
a sum of N700, 000:00.
According to one the representatives
the seminar organiser, who did not want her name in print, “we were shocked see
participants bringing up issues of missing laptops and computer accessories
after returning from lunch.
The seminar was not advertised
online neither in any national newspapers. How did this suspect get to know of
the event and managed to come at the exact time participants about a hundred
participants were having launch?”.
According to sources, Ikemefuna had
several scouts who furnish him with information on conferences and seminars, where
he went to steal laptops and participants properties.
The suspect was quoted to have said
that the seminar was one of the many others where he had gate crashed before
stealthily making away with several laptops, mobile phones and computer
accessories of participants.
The suspect, after initially denying
the crime, confessed when he was shown copy of the CCTV footages before leading
the operatives to Computer Village to arrest the buyer.
According to the buyer of the stolen
items at the Computer Village, Ikeja, Saliu Ibraheem, “I have known Ikemefuna
for more than seven years. He brought 5 Mac Books and one HP to my shop that he
bought them in South Africa.
I bought the 5 Mac Books and a HP
laptop computer for N1, 110,000 and I resold it immediately for N1, 250,000:00.
The money was transferred into my account immediately.
As at yesterday, the operatives had
recovered all the laptops allegedly stolen by the suspect at the seminar.
Confirming the incident, the Police
PPRO, ASP Olarinde Famous Cole, said that there would be no hiding place for
criminals in Lagos State adding that officers of the command are at alert to
nip crime in the bud.
The suspect has been transferred to
the SCID, Panti, Yaba for further investigation and prosecution.
Tags
Society