From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Three suspected car snatchers have been arrested by operatives of the Delta State Police Command in a move intensifying their fight against criminals in the oil-rich state.
One suspect, 47-year-old Dickson Omage, was apprehended in Warri while attempting to escape with a stolen vehicle. The other two suspects, 40-year-old Samson Ekwunwa and 39-year-old Kanebi Michael were arrested in Benin City, the capital of neighbouring Edo State.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the arrests in a statement released on Wednesday. He said twelve suspected stolen vehicles were recovered from the criminal syndicate.
According to Edafe, the case began on April 11, 2024, when a middle-aged man reported the theft of his Toyota Corolla sedan from where it was parked in Oruwhorun. The victim reported seeing the car along the Eku/Warri road near Oha Junction in Okpe Local Government Area.
Edafe stated that officers swiftly mobilised alongside members of the Oha community vigilante group. They “gave the suspects a hot chase” to an army checkpoint at Orerokpe Junction, where they were able to stop the vehicle.
“Consequently, one Dickson Omage (male, 47 years old) of Post Office Road, Effurun Warri was arrested,” Edafe said. “The stolen vehicle was recovered, along with a master key the suspects used for their criminal activities.”
“A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect and his gang are notorious for stealing parked cars, both during the day and at night.”
“Further investigation and interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of two other suspects, Samson Ekwunwa (male, 40 years old) and Kanebi Michael (male, 39 years old), in Benin City on April 19,” Edafe continued.
“These two suspects specialise in removing old chassis and engine numbers, replacing them with new ones before attempting to sell the vehicles,” Edafe explained. “They are also known to disable car trackers on stolen vehicles.”
“A total of twelve (12) suspected stolen vehicles were recovered from Benin City and Warri,” Edafe concluded.
He provided details of the recovered vehicles, including registration numbers and chassis numbers. Edafe added that the police are searching for other members of the gang who may be at large. He urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity promptly.