A
suspected thief arrested by the police in Lagos, Tokunbo Ojo, says a master key
he owned made it easy for him to steal from vehicles during public functions
such as weddings and burials.
PUNCH
Metro learnt that Ojo recently got lucky as he stole N3.2m from a car parked at
the campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
49-year-old
Ojo, who hails from Aramoko, Ekiti State, was nabbed by operatives of the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad with the master key on Tuesday, April 14.
According
to the police, the suspect consulted a welder in 2013 to make the master key
for him, which he used to open parked vehicles, carting away money and other
valuables in the vehicles.
Ojo had allegedly attended weddings, burial ceremonies, political campaigns and other functions where he used the key to break into parked vehicles.
Ojo had allegedly attended weddings, burial ceremonies, political campaigns and other functions where he used the key to break into parked vehicles.
While
speaking with PUNCH Metro, Ojo, a father of two, who lived on Agbotikuyo
Street, Agege, explained that he usually dressed well and pretended to be one
of the invited guests at functions before carrying out his evil deeds.
He said:
“I
used to work as a house painter. But in 2013, my work was no longer
flourishing. So I developed the idea of using a master key to steal.
I
consulted a welder friend to make the key for me. I got it from him for N500.
Since 2013, I had gone to high-class events for operations. I usually dressed
like one of the guests and would mingle with other guests as if I was invited.
Later, I
would go out as if I forgot something in my vehicle. And I would proceed to one
of the expensive vehicles where I suspected there would be valuables. The
master key could open any vehicle.”
Ojo added that during the recent election, he stole
N3.2m from a car parked at the venue of a campaign rally in Abeokuta, Ogun
State. He said he also stole laptops, phones and jewellery from other cars he
opened.
He continued:
“The campaign rally was in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and it
was the PDP campaign rally. I saw N3.2m inside one of the vehicles I opened.
Nobody suspected anything. I used the money to get a Toyota Highlander. The
police have taken the vehicle from me.
My wife and two children did not know this was the work I
did. I stole in order to survive. I regret my actions now. I wish I could be
forgiven.”
PUNCH learnt that the police caught Ojo red-handed and
arrested him at a function in Lagos after they got a tip-off about his
activities at public ceremonies.
The police said investigations revealed that Ojo did not work
alone, adding that they were still on the lookout for his fleeing accomplices.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth
Nwosu, confirmed the arrest. He added that the police recovered a vehicle from
the suspect.
He said:
“The suspect confessed to using a master key to break into
cars and sometimes steal money and other valuables. We also recovered a Toyota
Highlander from him.”
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