The Delta State Police Command in a significant crackdown on crime has arrested and paraded four suspects linked to a tricycle theft operation. The arrests led to the recovery of six mobile phones stolen from unsuspecting victims.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, detailed the modus operandi of the suspects in a video shared on his X handle on Tuesday, February 04. “Some of the suspects would disguise as passengers to distract the victims while robbing and pushing them off the tricycle,” Edafe explained.
Victims of these crimes shared their harrowing experiences. A male victim recounted, “On the first Saturday, I boarded a Keke going to Government House. I met two guys inside the Keke, including the Keke rider making them three. One of them started coughing, I was asking him what happened, not knowing he was trying to remove my phone. When I got to where I wanted to stop, I checked inside my pocket and couldn’t find my phone.”
A female victim described a similar ordeal, “I was on my way to FMC, this is the Keke rider, this other one was the one coughing. When this one started coughing, he started pouring saliva on me; I was trying to ask him what was going on and what he was doing, but he didn’t answer; he just continued. When I noticed my phone was missing was when he was coughing and put his mouth outside; that was when he picked up my phone. They told me to come down from the Keke and pushed me.”
One of the apprehended suspects, Emeka, confessed to his role in the crime ring, speaking in Pidgin English, “My name is Emeka, he is my Keke guy; if I see him loading, I’ll enter his keke. If I see that you’re with a phone, I’ll pretend to cough and collect it. We started last year, I’ve sold three phones to the guy and four phones to the lady. I feel bad and would advise Keke passengers to hold their phones in their hands.”
This operation by the Delta State Police serves as a stark reminder for commuters to remain vigilant, particularly in public transport scenarios.