We specialise in stealing cars during church service – Suspects

Two armed robbery suspects have admitted that they specialise in stealing cars from where they are parked during church service. The suspects, Bamidele Adebayo and Hakeem Taofik, were arrested penultimate Sunday by policemen attached to the Ipaja Division of the Lagos State Police Command. The police said that the suspects were arrested after they stole […]

Two armed robbery suspects have admitted that they specialise in stealing cars from where they are parked during church service.

The suspects, Bamidele Adebayo and Hakeem Taofik, were arrested penultimate Sunday by policemen attached to the Ipaja Division of the Lagos State Police Command.

The police said that the suspects were arrested after they stole a Toyota Corolla car in front of a church at Shagari Estate, Ipaja, Lagos, and had sold it to a receiver in Ijagba village  Sango Ota, Ogun State.

Adebayo, described as the gang leader, confessed to the crime, saying it was easy to steal any car during church service.

The suspect, in his statement to the police, narrated how he and his gang members would go to different churches pretending to be members and then monitored the movement of the guards on duty.

“Most guards seen around churches are members who volunteer to work as security men while service is on. A good number of them get carried away during praise and worship, while some stroll into the church hall to give their offerings.

“While Hakeem’s duty is to monitor the movement of the guards, mine is to enter a car, armed with a master key. Once I get a sign from Hakeem that the coast is clear, I will quietly drive the car out. The good aspect of it all is that anyone who sees me will think I am the owner. As soon as the coast is clear I will drive off to wait for Hakeem at a location agreed on,” he said.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, explaining how the suspects were arrested, said that following sustained monitoring, police operatives deployed to the Ipaja area on anti-traffic robbery patrol (motorcycle patrol) by the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, arrested the suspects last Sunday.

Elkana said policemen from the Ipaja Division also apprehended three traffic robbery suspects –  Hassan Lekan, 19; Owolabi Seyi,18; and 19-year-old Ismailia Ibrahim

“The suspects specialised in snatching hand bags, phones and money from unsuspecting members of the public. They mostly operate between 4am and 7am. Items recovered from them include phones and bags they snatched from three different victims,” he said.