I’ve stolen over 100 phones – Suspect

A robbery suspect, Babatunde Ibrahim, who was arrested by policemen from the Lagos State Police Command at the weekend, has confessed to stealing over 100 mobile phones in Lagos alone. Twenty-eight year old Ibrahim, who was nabbed at the Ikeja axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, said that he had been engaging in stealing since childhood. […]

A robbery suspect, Babatunde Ibrahim, who was arrested by policemen from the Lagos State Police Command at the weekend, has confessed to stealing over 100 mobile phones in Lagos alone.
Twenty-eight year old Ibrahim, who was nabbed at the Ikeja axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, said that he had been engaging in stealing since childhood.
According to him, “The act of stealing has become part and parcel of me. I am a specialist in burgling people’s houses without their knowledge. I can gain entrance into any house by cutting the door and window net with a razor blade. I derive pleasure in taking what does not belong to me.
“Apart from burgling houses, I also operate during traffic gridlocks, especially in areas prone to traffic such as Ikorodu road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and so on. The last operation I went for was at a building in Ilupeju where I had stolen three handsets and other valuables, before luck ran out of me on getting to Ikeja.  I have stolen over 100 phones during my operations.”
Ibrahim mentioned Sanni Azeez, 27, and Hakeem Kamoru, 40, as the receivers of the items he stole, adding that they were his friends living in Akala Street. The alleged receivers had also been arrested by the police.
 Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmus, a Superintendent of Police, said that Ibrahim was arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) after he had successfully stolen the handsets (two Nokia phones and a Blackberry) and other valuables at ilupeju.
 She added: “The policemen suspected his movements along Ikeja during routine patrol on the highway.
He wanted to drop his cross bag at one corner on sighting the police but when he noticed that the operatives had seen him, he bolted. They chased him and caught up with him before he got to Ile-Zik bus stop.
 “He was interrogated on why he took to his heels immediately he saw the police, but he could not provide any satisfactory answer. The stolen items were recovered when a search was conducted on his bag.”
Badmus said that the suspect’s confessional statement enabled the police to apprehend the alleged receivers of the stolen items.
“The three suspects have been transferred to Ilupeju Divisional Police station upon request from the station’s Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to continue the investigation.  They will face the wrath of the law for the offence committed,” she added.