Syndicate sells stolen car for N30,000, steals another in cemetery

The police recovered six vehicles including the one sold for N30,000 which was painted in Maiduguri’s taxi colours (green and yellow) after the theft. The police also arrested the buyers of the vehicles as well as a blacksmith who produces locally made master keys which the syndicate uses in burgling- he is one of the four-man syndicate.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, ASP Isa Azare, told Sunda Trust while parading the suspects that the arrests were carried out within Borno while the vehicles were recovered from the syndicate. Azare said from investigations, one of the cars was stolen in Kano and another in Azare town of Bauchi State. The names of the suspects were given as Ali Mohammed, Mudassir Rufai 32 year-old, Ibrahim Idris, 27-year-old and Isa Musa, 21-year-old.

Speaking to Sunday Trust, Mudassir Rufai, one of the suspects who hails from Kano, said he was a commercial motorcycle operator before a friend introduced him to the business of car theft, saying he joined the group because of a debt of one hundred thousand naira.

“I was hoping to pay back the money when I get back home in Kano where I buy and sell fresh fruits and vegetables which I often transport to Lagos for sale. I do not know how my other colleagues steal the cars, but I have partaken in two different operations with them where two cars were stolen. The gang is usually led by Ali Mohammed.”

Ali Mohammed who appears to be the leader of the group said he was a pump attendant at a filling station in Maiduguri before he was lured into the business last year September by a friend. According to him, the actual price that they wanted to sell the golf was N90,000 but a friend only paid N30,000  for it.

Ibrahim Idris, another suspect, however denied ever participating in the operation but said he was once among them but that after they were caught sometime back and sentenced to three years imprisonment but with an option of fine for stealing a Honda and a Toyota Carina, he paid the fine and never participated in the business. He said his friend (Isa Musa) who was also caught in that operation, went back to the business after paying the fine and then implicated him in the recent operations following which he was also arrested by the police.