Car theft syndicate: Police nab fake soldier in Delta

From Nosa Akenzua Asaba

Delta State Police Command has said that the operatives of Safer Highway team 001A detailed along Sapele/Benin road on patrol led by the O/C Safer Highway SP Onubi Joseph has arrested an ash coloured Toyota Corolla car with Reg. No. JJJ 19 FN driven by one Gideon Iliya ‘m’ aged 39yrs address unknown and who is suspected to be the ring-leader of a car theft syndicate.
He claimed to be an Army officer with P/No.98NA/47/3845, a claim which has been discovered to be false, according to the Police.
On interrogation bordering on the ownership of the vehicle he claimed that the vehicle belonged to his friend attached to 3 battalion Warri. A call was put across to the phone number found in the vehicle document and it was discovered that the said vehicle was removed from where parked at No. 22 Ogbolokposo Effurun. During search on the vehicle, the following items were recovered: One Army jingle hat, One Army T-Shirt , One bunch of key and One Nigerian Army ID card bearing Gideon Iliya.
The suspect, in a statement issued and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, was arrested in the company of one of his member suspects.
The statement said the exhibits recovered have been handed over to Anti-Cult Squad of the State Police Command for discreet investigation.