Police Bust Car Stealing Syndicate, Publish List of Recovered Vehicles

Four suspected stolen vehicles

Police in Enugu State on Monday said they busted a car-stealing syndicate.

In a statement, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Daniel Ndukwe, said police operatives serving in the Uwani Police Division smashed the syndicate.

Mr. Ndukwe said the operatives arrested four male suspects, recovered four suspected stolen vehicles and numerous car keys from them.

He said the success followed the mounting of operational surveillance by the Operatives, upon receiving several reports of cars stealing within the Kenyetta Market axis in Uwani, Enugu.

The spokesperson said, Anioko Chukwujekwu aged 32, the syndicate’s kingpin, was arrested on March 3, 2024, at about noon while attempting to steal a car from where it was parked at the market. “Numerous cars’ keys were recovered from him.

According to Ndukwe, during preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed to the crime, while his confessional statements led to further arrest of three (3) more suspects in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, who are his conspirators, receivers, and sellers of the stolen vehicles.

“They include Ugochukwu Okoh aged 41 and Nkemdi Idah aged 65, arrested on March 7, 2024, and Nwoke Sunday aged 57, arrested on March 9, 2024. A total of four different models of Mercedes-Benz cars, comprising two 190 E (respectively ash-coloured with Reg. No. SKA 292 AA and red-coloured without Reg. No.), one blue-coloured C-Class with Reg. No. AGL 512 EY, and black-coloured 230 E (V-Boot) with Reg. No. CHR 50 AE, were recovered from them.

Mr. Ndukwe said the suspects would be arraigned in court and prosecuted once investigations are concluded.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has maintained that the Command will not rest on its oars to purge Enugu State of unrepentant criminals and their activities.

The CP enjoins residents of the State to continue to be law-abiding, security-conscious, and quickly report suspected criminals to the nearest Police Station, or call 08086671202 or 08098880102.