CCTV foils pickpockets’ activities in Oshodi; Ex-convict, 3 others arrested
The police has apprehended four pickpockets who terrorise passersby at the Oshodi area of Lagos.
The suspects were arrested last Thursday and Friday with the aid of Rapid Response Squad mobile Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera.
Jelili Ganiu (19), Samson Owolabi (23), were caught on footage of the camera stealing what was suspected to be mobile phone from a passer-by on Oshodi pedestrian bridge.
They exchanged the stolen item with another suspect currently at large before returning to the same location.
They were subsequently arrested at the foot of the pedestrian bridge. Both men have confessed that they stole an Infinix Hot mobile phone from a passer-by on the bridge and that the third suspect who they exchanged the object with was the keeper of their stolen items.
Jelili added that the third suspect, OMo Nla, is the one who sells the phones and that the money is later shared in the evening.
He said: “Owolabi and I are conductors in Oshodi but when there was no work or we arrive late at the park to re-unite with our bosses, we steal phones, purse and other valuables from the users of the pedestrian bridge in Oshodi.”
The other suspects, Segun Lawoye (47) an ex convict and Toyin Samuel (38), were caught on camera as many as three times in Oshodi fraudulently dispossessing passersby of their belongings.
On their last footage, they dispossessed a young lady of her bag containing two mobile phones and unspecified amount of money.
They were captured on camera hurriedly boarding a bus after hypnotising their victim. However, the lady regained her consciousness few minutes later and reported the incident to RRS officers who contacted the CCTV mobile Camera for footage of the area where the incident took place.
Their pictures were shown to selected people in Oshodi for identification and tip-off on their whereabouts.
The suspects, who claimed to be husband and wife, confessed after being shown their video.
An obtained video showed Jelili and Owolabi stealing from a lady with backpack and thereafter exchanging the stolen item.
