Operatives of Rapid Response Squad,RRS, of Lagos State Police Command, has recovered eight stolen vehicles from a member of a syndicate specialising in trans-border crime and stealing vehicles in Lagos and moving them to Ogun and neighbouring countries to sell.

The operatives who were working on a reported case of stolen Toyota Corolla from where it was parked in Ikeja Business District, Lagos, traced the vehicle to a compound in Kobape, Abeokuta, belonging to a car dealer.

According to the report, It was gathered that the Toyota Corolla, grey, 2004 model with registration number, KRD 759, belonging to Mrs. Olaitan Lawal, was removed from the car park during a church programme at Ikeja, before it was found on Friday.

According to the owner of the car, I called Lagos emergency line on 112 and I reported to the representative, I went straight to Area F in Ikeja, to equally lodge the complaint, and at the station, the Divisional Police Officer connected me to the Commander of RRS, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Olatunji Disu, as capable hand to handle the case.

The RRS’ surveillance team moved to Abeokuta that same night which led to the arrest of two prime suspects who have confessed their connections with the recovered Corolla and seven other stolen cars presently at the RRS headquarters.

The suspects, Samuel Adebeshin, 56, the receiver of the stolen vehicles, who lives at 13 Kobape Road, Abeokuta, and an accomplice, Adeyemi Kamoru, 50, repeatedly maintained that the eight vehicles were all stolen at different locations in Lagos.

In his confessional statement, “I have been in auto business for thirty years. I know all these cars brought to me were all stolen cars but I thought I was safe enough here in my palatial compound.

He explained that about two years ago, I met Kamoru Adeyemi. He was the middleman between me and the car thieves. He was the one who introduced Alhaji Tajudeen and one honourable, both still at large, to me as car dealers and crossers from Benin Republic. Later on, I discovered they were car snatchers from Lagos. At this point, I couldn’t back out from the deal. Anytime they bring cars to me, it was Adeyemi who I give money to pay them because I didn’t want people to identify me with them”, the suspected criminal added.

On his part, Adeyemi disclosed that poverty pushed him into the crime. He confessed: “I met Adebeshin some years back. Before now, I do assist him to cross vehicle from Benin to Nigeria. Anytime those boys went for operation and succeeded, they will call me, and I will inform him that we have another car. And I will drive the car to his premises in Kobape where buyers usually come to buy them.

The other seven vehicles recovered from Adebeshin’s compound were Mercedes Benz 230; Acura MDX; Murano, Volkswagen Passat station wagon, Renault, Pontiac and Toyota Camry.

Lagos State Police Spokesperson, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmus, said the suspects were helping the Police with investigations, saying efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate.