Nobody needs to train you on how to pickpocket. It is so easy. I get to Oshodi by 6:30 a.m. and I leave after operations around 9:00 a.m.
Nigeria, Sept., 07, 2016 – An 18 year old suspect arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, has disclosed that he ran away from auto engineering work for pickpocket business to be able to make more money.
The suspect, Seun Jimoh, 18, from Ondo State was arrested in the early hours on Tuesday, in Oshodi.
The suspect, who was decked in brown jacket and trousers, and a hand bag like a young man on serious business had already stolen four mobile phones from unsuspecting commuters before he was nabbed.
It was learnt that he was arrested in the process of removing N18,000:00 from the pocket of a commuter while passengers were pushing and shoving to board a bus. Unknown to him, two of his earlier victims were on his trail when they noticed that their phones had disappeared. While standing at Oshodi under Bridge, they spotted him removing money from the pocket of a passenger, Gbenga Odeniyi.
At that point, his earlier victims, Onuh Austine and Onesimus Paul raised alarm. Consequently Jimoh dropped the money and took to his heel but RRS operatives arrested him and the victims two phones his executive handbag.
While at the RRS’s Headquarters, the suspect confessed he stole the phones when the passengers were pushing and shoving to force themselves into a bus.
“On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I am always in Oshodi pickpocketing. I stole an average of eight phones on Mondays and maybe like nine phones on Fridays. I didn’t really get more than five phones on Wednesdays.
“I am an orphan. I was brought to Lagos by my uncle. He enlisted me in an auto – mobile workshop but I ran away from there to Mushin where I honed my skills in pickpocketing. All the phones that I stole, I sell them in Alaba Rago to some Hausas. They buy fairly used phones and materials from people. I have been in this business since 2013. I have never been caught or imprisoned before”.
In his words, “nobody needs to train you on how to pickpocket. It is so easy and the idea came naturally to me. You can do it but you do the easy ones. I get to Oshodi by 6:30 a.m. and I leave after operations around 9:00 a.m.
I sell Nokia Microsoft N7, 000:00; Infinix Hot N8,000; Tecno Y series, N7,000 – N9,000 and small Samsung phones N4, 000:00”. The RRS operatives later invited the owners of the two other phones found with Seun to collect them.
Our source disclosed that the Policemen are on the verge of arresting the buyers mentioned by the suspects, but that, one of the ways to stem cases of phone theft in the state is to pick-up the major buyers.
Confirming the arrest, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, re-assured people of Lagos, of maximum security in place in the state.
She added that the suspect has given information that would help track down his colleagues in the same trade as well as stolen phone buyers. The suspect has been transferred to the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment for prosecution.
