Enugu police nab serial ATM card thief pretending to help customers

An alleged Automated Teller Machine card thief, Obinna Okafor, has been nabbed in Enugu.

Okafor, police say, specialised in dispossessing his victims of their cards after obtaining their pin numbers. The suspect allegedly moved around with ‘fake’ ATM cards‎, which he usually switched with those of his victims while pretending to assist them during transactions.

He allegedly looked out for customers having difficulties with their transactions, and would offer to help. It is in the process that he would memorise the victim’s pin number, police say.

Okafor allegedly carried out his operations at various banks within Enugu metropolis.

Enugu police spokesperson, Ebere Amaraizu, said Okafor was apprehended in the act on October 8, 2018, in the New Haven area of Enugu.

A female victim, who Okafor had just dispossessed of her ATM card after first obtaining her pin number while pretending to help her, had raised alarm.

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“The woman was apparently having difficulties with her transaction before the suspect pretended to help her and in the process, smartly exchanged her ATM card with a fake one, after obtaining her pin number.

“The ‎suspect was about to escape when the woman raised the alarm, which attracted the attention of the operatives on duty, who moved swiftly to arrest him,” Amaraizu said.

Amaraizu added that twelve ATM cards belonging to various banks were recovered from Okafor after he was arrested.