By Ken Chiwendu
The Rivers State Police Command on Wednesday paraded 26 arrested armed robbery suspects, car thieves and their native doctor, and also recovered 17 stolen vehicles from the suspects.
The state commissioner of police, CP Olatunji Disu, while parading suspects at the Command headquarters, Moscow road, Port Harcourt said the arrests followed credible intelligence by tactical teams of the command.
The CP identified the leader of the car thieves as Chidozie Anthony Onyekwe, and explained that the kingpin usually trains his accomplices before deploying them to steal cars in the state and selling the vehicles in and outside the country.
Disu further disclosed that operatives of the command also arrested one Kelechi Uzo-Igwe, an expert mechanic and electrician, who specializes in disabling stolen car trackers.
He said “For some time now we have noticed that a lot of cars were being stolen and some robbed, and as a result, we tasked some officers of our tactical teams and our investigators to look into it.
“Today, I’m very happy to inform you that 26 suspects specialized in stealing vehicles and robbing them have been arrested. Our greatest joy is the arrest of Chidozie Anthony Onyekwe, the leader of persons who come into Rivers State to steal cars.
“Not only does he come in here, he trains his men well and he is linked to all the suspects you see here who have been arrested at one time or the other for the offense of stealing cars, he ensures that his men are well trained before bringing them to come and perpetrate their crimes here.
“At the same time, Kelechi Uzo-Igwe, is an expert in removing trackers from vehicles, almost all the vehicles stolen from Rivers State must pass through Kelechi for him to remove the trackers. He is also a wonderful mechanic and auto electrician at the same time,” He added.
According to the CP, about 79 vehicles linked to the suspects were currently being investigated, adding that most of the stolen vehicles were taken to Imbiku Obosi in Onitsha, Anambra state, where they are dismantled and sold as scrapes.
“Most of the stolen cars are taken to Anambra, Kano and some of them find their way out of the country. The cars were taken to Imbiku Obosi in Onitsha, where the cars are cut into pieces and sold as scrapes.
“In total, 79 vehicles have been linked to all these suspects you see here, the funny thing is that most of these suspects met while in correctional centers, about five of them are ex-convicts.”
The Police Command Chief said that the syndicate has master keys with which they facilitate their robbery of vehicles and take them away to ready buyers.
“They have a lot of spare and master keys to move these vehicles away, although we have recovered the keys from them.
“They quickly convert them to commercial vehicles, go to motor park and pick passengers and they drive out of town with passengers.
“We have two sets of receivers, people who wait for them to steal the cars and they take them away immediately and pay them off. Some of the receivers even tell them the kind of vehicle they want stolen for them.”
The police also paraded a native doctor who provides direction for the car syndicate and armed robbery suspects who specialise in attacking bank customers alongside
“One of their native doctors has been arrested. Before they embark on their business, they consult him and he tells them the day that is good for them to go out and steal these vehicles.
“Armed robbers who specialise in robbing bank customers. We also have a team of robbers, who follow you when you go to the bank, the moment you park your car anywhere, they break into the cars and steal the money you just collected from the bank and if you resist them, they will attack you.
“Their firearms have been recovered and they are here for you to see.”Disu said.
