Four suspected thieves nabbed via RRS surveillance camera in Oshodi
By Edith Obioma
One of the three mobile closed circuit television (CCTv) camera procured by the Lagos State Government for Rapid Response Squad (RRS) has assisted the police in arresting two suspected phone thieves and two other fraudsters in Oshodi.
The four suspects were caught on a footage of the mobile CCTV camera surveillance stationed in Oshodi.
The suspects, Jelili Ganiu (19), Samson Owolabi (23), Segun Latoye (47) and an ex-convict Toyin Samuel (38), were arrested in Oshodi on Thursday and Friday.
Jelili and Owolabi were caught on the footage of camera stealing items suspected to be mobile phone from a passer-by on Oshodi pedestrian bridge.
They were monitored through the camera while exchanging the stolen item with another suspect before returning to the same location.
They were later trailed by RRS Operatives attached to vehicle and arrested at the foot of the pedestrian bridge.
After interrogation, both suspects confessed that they stole an Infinix hot mobile phone from a passer-by on the bridge and the third suspect with whom they exchanged the object was the keeper of their stolen items.
Jelili added that the third suspect, Omonla’s duty was to sell stolen items while the money realized was normally shared in the evening.
He disclosed, “Owolabi and I are conductors in Oshodi but when there is no work or we arrive late at the park to reunite with our bosses, we steal phones, purse and other valuables from the users of the pedestrian bridge in Oshodi.”
Other two suspects, Segun Latoye and Toyin Samuel, were arrested after being caught on camera three times in Oshodi in their fraudulent acts, dispossessing passers-by of their belongings.
On the last footage, they dispossessed a young lady of her bag containing two mobile phones and unspecified amount of money after hypnotising her and hurried to board a bus.
However, the lady regained 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 happened.
The suspects’ pictures were shown to selected people in Oshodi for them to bring to the notice of the RRS officers whenever their presence was noticed in Oshodi.
The suspects, who claimed to be husband and wife, confessed after being shown the footage of their acts.
Commenting on the development, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Otti promised that the command would continue to apply technology in combating crime adding that the suspects would be charge court.
