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Police warn Lagos residents against corporate pickpockets
By OKOSUN DENNIS
The alarming rate at which corporate pick pockets swoop on unsuspecting victims and rip them of their valuables has necessitated the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command to warn residents, especially women, to handle their valuables well to avoid been stolen.
In a statement on Thursday in Lagos, the police warned that the criminals always dress corporately like Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of reputable companies while they target individuals with expensive phones, jewelries, purses and money.
“They appear dignified, respectably well dressed and not easily identifiable like regular street hustlers. Their targets are your valuables; money, phones, purses, jewellery.
They are “Corporate Beggars, Corporate Prostitutes, Corporate Thieves, Corporate 419, Corporate Pickpockets, and are all dignifying absurdities. They are everywhere; on the streets, buses, chauffeur – driven vehicles, octane events,” the statement added.
It was gathered that these individuals in the process of carrying out their nefarious activities, wear nice attires and shoes pretending to be like CEOs and deceive people.
National Daily recalls that few months ago, RRS operatives in Oshodi arrested one Seun Jimoh, 18, for pickpocketing.
Jimoh, who claimed to be a trainee auto – engineer, abandoned mechanic work for pickpocketing in Oshodi on the ground that it was more profitable.
Before setting out for business, Jimoh would deck in brown jacket and trouser, and a hand bag like a corporate executive.
As at the time he was arrested by men of the RRS, the suspect had already stolen four mobile phones from unsuspecting commuters in an early morning operation in Oshodi.
It was learnt that he was caught red handed removing N18, 000 from the pocket of a commuter while scrabbling to board a bus.
RRS said, “Unknown to Jimoh, two of his victims were on the lookout for him after suspecting him for being in possession of their missing phones.
While standing at Oshodi under the Bridge, they spotted him removing N18,000 from the pocket of another victim, Gbenga Odeniyi.
“At that point, his victims, Onuh Austine and Onesimus Paul, raised an alarm, prompting him to drop the money and take to his heels but RRS operatives close to the scene chased and caught him.
“After listening to all the accusations requested the victim’s phone numbers. On dialling it, discovered that it rang in the suspect’s (Jimoh) handbag.
He confessed stealing phones during bus stampede adding that “on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I am always in Oshodi pickpocketing. I steal an average of eight phones on Mondays, nine phones on Fridays. I don’t really get more than five phones on Wednesdays,” he reiterated.
The police also disclosed the arrest of one Joseph Adeoye, 22, who was dressed in black suit when he was arrested in Ikeja at the commissioning of a shopping mall.
It was learnt that he had stolen the mobile phone of a shopper from her handbag when he was spotted and arrested at the event.
He confessed to RRS interrogators to have stolen several mobile phones and wallets in the same manner.
According to him, “I live in Ibafo, and come to Lagos visiting choice gatherings to pickpocket.”
While explaining that several pickpockets operating in the city have been arrested while plying their trade in commercial buses and bus stops, it was gathered that they dress daily like business executives.
The police warned residents to be mindful of unsuspecting individuals like (Adeoye and Jimoh) who are still locking around in the metropolis looking for people to dispossess of their valuables.
“One of them might just be sitting next to you waiting to steal your phone or your wallet. Please. Shine your eyes; so much is going on around you,” RRS reiterated.