I have been stealing since childhood – 26-year-old man

A 28-year-old man, Babatunde Ibrahim, who allegedly specialises in stealing phones, says he has been stealing since his childhood.

Ibrahim was arrested on Sunday by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Lagos State Police Command, at the Ikeja Along end of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway while he was returning from a burglary in the Ilupeju area of the state.

Confessing before newsmen while being paraded at the Command headquarters on Wednesday, Ibrahim said he had stolen over 100 phones, adding that he derives pleasure in the act.

Ibrahim said he usually sold the stolen items to one Sanni Azeez and Hakeem Kamoru.

He said his targets were mainly motorists trapped in gridlock, adding that before he was arrested, he had entered the building at Ilupeju area through the balcony door which was left wide open and stole three phones and other valuables.

Ibrahim said, “The act of stealing has become part of me. I am a specialist in burgling people’s houses. I used to gain entrance into any house by breaking the door or cutting window net with a razor blade.

“I derive pleasure in taking what does not belong to me.

“Apart from burglary, I also operate during traffic jams, especially on Ikorodu Road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

“The last operation I went for was at Ilupeju where luck ran out on me. I stole two Nokia phones, one BlackBerry and other valuables. The receivers of the phones I stole are Azeez and Kamoru. They live on Akala Street, Mushin,” he added.

The RRS, Commander, Olatunji Disu, said his men gave Ibrahim a chase after noticing that his movement was suspicious, adding that he was arrested when he could not give satisfactory answers to questions they asked him.

The Commander, however, noted that Ibrahim’s confession, led to the arrest of the two accomplices.

He said, “We noticed his suspicious movement. He wanted to drop his bag in one corner, but when he found out that we had seen him, he bolted. But we gave him a chase and caught up with him.

“We conducted a thorough check on his bag where we recovered the stolen items. We have arrested two members of his clique.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.

“The three suspects have been transferred to the Ilupeju Police Station. They will be charged to court,” the PPRO noted.