Police Arrests Notorious Motorcycle Thief

A 26-year-old man, Jamiu Bello who allegedly
specializes in stealing motorcycles was
arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response
Squad (RRS), while attempting to steal a
motorcycle at Ijora Olopa.
He allegedly confessed to have stolen over 20
motorcycles in two years, and that two of his
buyers were resident in the state.
It was alleged that the motorcycle marked
KTU388QG, belonging to one Israel Israel Ikyav
was parked beside a canteen where the suspect
stole it.
Ikyav, who was eating, was said to have
abandoned his food after another motocyclist
told him that his motorcycle has been stolen.
The suspect was said to have been chased by
passersby who saw him commit the crime but
was finally caught by RRS riders on patrol.
Bello who claimed to have three children said he
started stealing motorcycles two years ago.
He said: “I started this crime about two years
ago. There were two of us and we operated in
Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo States. My
accomplice, Ibijuwon is currently in jail. He was
arrested the day we went for operation around
Lagos Island. I managed to escape with the stolen
bike while he was arrested and taken to the
court.
“On this fateful day, I left Epe to Yaba area. On
getting to Yaba, I looked around to know how to
start the day’s job there but I couldn’t find any
motorcycle to steal around the area.
“Then, I decided to move to Ijora – Olopa with
the hope of stealing any bike on sight. I boarded
a commercial motorcycle from Yaba to Ijora. At
Ijora, I saw a man when he parked his bike
outside and entered the canteen.
“I noticed that he had locked its steering. So, I
quickly asked the rider who took me from Yaba
that I wanted to alight to see my brother briefly
in that area.
“I moved closer to the bike and broke its locked
steering. Then I mounted it and zoomed off,
abandoning the commercial rider who brought
me to the area.
“When I was on the bike, I thought I had
escaped. Suddenly, I saw two RRS motorcycles
pursuing me. I sped off but they caught up with
me. I attempted to escape by joining another
motorcyclist but I was caught.”
Continuing, the suspect said he usually rode the
motorcycles stolen from other states to Lagos
where he sold them.
He said: “I have stolen no fewer than 20
motorcycles across South West. If I go to other
states apart from Lagos to operate, I will ride the
bike down to Lagos to sell here.
“I have two receivers of these stolen bikes. One
of them lives at Alamutu in Mushin, while the
other is in Ijora. The motorcycles are sold
depending on how clean they are. I sold one
N40,000. The scars on my body were inflicted by
people who caught stealing motorcycles.
“I am just an unrepentant thief because I was
supposed to have changed my way of life.”
Contacted, the police spokesperson, Dolapo
Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) said the suspect
will be charged to court, adding that efforts were
on to arrest receivers of the stolen motorcycles.