Police arrest six-man gang in Bayelsa over ‘theft’

The officers of the state intelligence bureau (CID) of Bayelsa police command have arrested a suspected six-man gang of criminals for theft.

In a statement on Saturday, Asinim Butswat, the spokesperson of the command, said the gang specialises in using tricycles – disguised as drivers of these commercial vehicles – to steal mobile phones from passengers.

The spokesperson said the suspects’ names are Daniel Patrick, Oyinmi Gideon, Abdulmalik Sa’adu, Ebenezer Samuel, David Ebikabowei and John Okon.

He said the culprits were arrested at different locations within Yenagoa, the capital, adding that four commercial tricycles, and different types of mobile phones were recovered from the six-man gang.

“The suspects’ modus operandi is to drive in pairs, one claiming to be a driver and the other a passenger. When they pick a genuine passenger, the driver distracts the unsuspecting passenger by haggling over transport fares,” he said.

“The other partner then steals the phone from the unsuspecting passenger. Consequently, they would sell the stolen phones to one Abubakar Mallam, alias Danmallam, Ibrahim Ahmed and Iliya Isiaka at a give-away price.”

Tolani Alausa, the Bayelsa commissioner of police, urged members of the public whose phones were recently stolen to contact the spokesperson for possible identification and recovery.