Juliana Francis
A car dealer was shocked out of his wits when a Lt Colonel, who came to buy a Toyota Corolla Saloon car advertised on Jiji, vanished into thin air along with the car.
The complainant, frantic with worry had dashed to the Lagos State Police Command to narrate how an army Lt Colonel, who came to buy his car disappeared with the car.
The Police launched an investigation and later swooped on the suspect identified as Mohammed Jamiu, who is said to be in his 30s.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed that just to perfect his crime and present himself as credible to the car dealer, Jamiu hired an SUV for three hours.
Hundeyin explained: “It is a case of conspiracy and stealing. The complainant who is a car dealer reported one 30 years old Mohammed Jamiu, who allegedly stole a black-coloured unregistered Toyota Corolla Saloon car which the complainant posted on Jiji.
“The suspect claimed to be Lt. Col. Mohammed attached to Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos. The suspect went to hire an SUV for three hours and thereafter called the complainant to come along with the vehicle.
“On getting to the barrack, the suspect requested to test drive the car and disappeared with it, leaving both the driver of the hired SUV and the complainant in a state of confusion.
“Police operatives of the CP Special Squad I Team embarked on a painstaking tracking, where they later arrested the suspect at Aja estate area of Lagos and recovered a black colored Toyota Corolla car with Reg. No. SHA 492 GQ.
“Investigation reveals that the suspect used the vehicle recovered from him to exchange the car he stole from the complainant. The investigation is still ongoing to recover the stolen vehicle.”
