Monday, February 29, 2016

Dumb crook locks self-inside victim’s car


Detectives attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSRAS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a burglar, who mistakenly locked himself inside a victim’s car.
The suspect, Jamiu Anisoro, used to burgle victims’ cars with an iron rod, sharpened and shaped into a key. He burgled a car at Mainland Hotel premises, at Oyingbo, Oto Railway Ebute-Metta and got trapped inside the car, leading to his arrest. When the car owner came, he saw Anisoro inside his car and alerted the police.
Although the key had opened many car boots and doors, it however had a clause. Once it has opened a door, the door would become faulty. The master or normal key wouldn’t be able to operate the door again.
A police source said: “Jamiu specializes in opening vehicles with a master key. He got a rod and sharpened it into the shape of a key. His modus operandi is to watch motorists coming to Oyingbo Market. After the person parks, he would find out where the person was going. He monitors where the person was heading. He would go back to where the victim’s car was parked. But before heading to the targeted car, he would carry two bags, filled with used papers. He would use the master key to open the car door, pretending to be the owner or driver. He would pick phones, money and other valuables. He would drop the bags filled with old newspaper into the car and leaves. People watching him would think he came to drop some items he bought inside his car; they wouldn’t know he was a burglar.”
Anisoro further confessed to the police that he targeted victims in the early hours of morning and evening time. He usually steals phones, wallets and other valuables inside parked vehicles.
According to him, he used to sell some of such stolen items at Computer Village, Ikeja.
“There was a time he saw nylon inside a car at Ido, Oyingbo. The nylon was under the seat of a car he burgled. He found N150, 000. He used the money to rent a house. He used the balance to buy tools for shoe cobbling. He wanted to start shoe cobbling which was his professional job,” said a police source.
He however soon ran out of money. He decided to go for the last operation. The last operation was the one that landed him in police net.
On the fateful day of his arrest, he had tailed a motorist who drove into Mainland Hotel, Oyingbo. Immediately the man stepped out from his car, Anisoro followed him closely. Anyone watching would think he was the man’s driver or came with the man.
 As the man walked into the hotel, Anisoro followed him into the hotel reception. The man went to speak with the receptionist; Anisoro took a seat and acted as if he was waiting for him.
A few minutes after watching the victim, Anisoro left the reception area and made a beeline for the man’s car. Security guards attached to the hotel, saw him, but glanced away because they had earlier seen him with the car owner.
The police source said: “He tried to open the boot of the car, but it didn’t open. He tried the door, it opened. He entered the car, sat down and opened the pigeon hole. He was still searching the pigeon hole when the door suddenly closed and locked him inside. The door couldn’t open because he had burgled it and damaged it. He was trapped inside. The owner came out, tried to open the door, but it couldn’t. He initially didn’t see the suspect inside the car. The suspect was already sweating profusely. The owner started struggling with the door. One of the security men attached to the hotel came and reminded him that his driver was in the car. The man now looked closely inside and saw the suspect. He was shocked and told the security guard that he didn’t come with any driver. The door was finally opened through the car boot.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmus, said she wasn’t aware of the incident.

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