3 men arrested for attempting to steal car abandoned at the Palms

The police in Lagos have arrested three men for attempting to steal a customer’s car abandoned at Palms Shopping Mall in Victoria Island.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the Toyota saloon car, with registration number GWA 540 GP, was abandoned at the parking lot of the mall for over three months.

Security officials at the mall reported the matter at Maroko Police Station with a view to ascertain the owner.

Mr Isah Abdulmajid, the Maroko Divisional Police Officer, who confirmed the arrest to NAN, said that the suspects were arrested while attempting to claim the car.

“We got a report that the car was abandoned at the mall by unknown person.

“Then two men, Abiodun Ademola and Nurudeen Adepoju, came to the police station that the car belongs to their father who was mentally ill.

“They claimed their father came to the shopping mall and left the car there. From their statements, I knew they were lying.

“At first, Abiodun claimed he was from Ogun, while Nurudeen claimed Ekiti; I then wonder how two men from two different states are of the same father.

“I threatened to deal with them if they don’t tell the truth. That was when they confessed that one , a cab driver at the shopping mall, heard when the security officer was discussing with the police on phone about the car.

“Olufemi asked the two other suspects to pretend at the police station and claim that their father owns the car, so that they get the car for sales and share the proceed,’’ Abdilmajid said.

The DPO said that the suspects had been charged to court while a letter had been written to the Motor Licensing Office to ascertain the owner of the abandoned car.

He said that the car had been moved to Maroko Police Station.