Detectives from the Ondo State Police Command have successfully apprehended a suspected four-man inter-state car-snatching syndicate that has been terrorizing car owners in the state. The suspects, led by their ringleader, Afolabi Emmanuel, were caught by the Tactical Intelligence Squad (TIS) unit of the command following the alleged theft of a 2016 Toyota Camry from the residence of Mr. Amokun Victor in Oka-Akoko.

According to reports, the gang, which had been on the police's wanted list, sold the stolen vehicle through an accomplice in Ogori-Magongo, Kogi State. During a parade of the suspects in Akure on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, revealed that the stolen car, with a market value of N12 million, was sold for a mere N700,000.

"The suspect confessed to scaling the fence of the victim’s compound, breaking into the apartment, carting away valuables, and eventually driving off with the vehicle," Mr. Afolabi stated. Further investigation by the police led to the recovery of two additional vehicles, including a Toyota Sienna valued at N6 million, which had been sold for N4 million.

The police chief noted that the gang is responsible for a series of vehicle thefts across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State. The ringleader, Afolabi, is based in Lagos but frequently visits Akungba Akoko, where his father resides. It was during these visits that he allegedly identified potential targets before initiating the theft operations.

"These suspects have been a menace, instilling fear in residents and dispossessing them of their hard-earned belongings. Their arrest is a significant blow to the network of criminals operating across state lines," the police commissioner emphasized.

Commissioner Afolabi urged vehicle owners to take precautions by installing anti-theft devices such as pedal locks and trackers. He assured that the police have intensified efforts to track down other fleeing members of the syndicate as investigations continue.