Operatives of the Nigeria Police have arrested three suspects who have been stealing cars with master keys in Ondo State.

The suspects, identified as Temidayo Folajimi, Rotimi Akinsanoye, and Waheed Adekanmbi, who also buy and sell stolen vehicles, specialized in stealing cars from where they were parked.

While parading the suspects at the police headquarters in Akure, the state capital, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Wilfred Afolabi, stated that after stealing the cars, Akinsanoye, who has the master key, would hand it over to Folajimi.

Afolabi added that Folajimi would thereafter sell it to an auto parts seller in Owode Onirin, Lagos State, Adekanmbi, who would then cut them into different parts and sell them off to prospective customers.

According to the Commissioner of Police, the vehicles stolen by the suspects included a Toyota Camry, a Honda CRV, two Toyota Corollas (2003 and 2005 models), and two other Toyota Corollas. It was stated that two of the vehicles had been recovered while five others had been destroyed, butchered, and disposed of as spare parts.

He said, “A case of car theft (removed from a park) at Oke Aro, Akure, was reported to the police; the vehicle was flagged down at the licensing office. Two weeks ago, the vehicle was presented for registration at the licensing office, and the police were alerted.

“The man who came to register the car claimed he purchased the vehicle in Lagos at the rate of N4.3m from a car dealer by the name of Temidayo Folajimi, a 43-year-old man, who led the police to one Rotimi Akinsanoye, a 38-year-old man.

“During interrogation, Rotimi confessed that he is the mastermind behind most vehicles stolen (removed from parks) and confessed to having moved a total of seven vehicles out of the state.

“Also, Waheed Adekanbi, a 51-year-old man, is in custody, helping the police with the necessary information needed to confirm the veracity of the claim that the remaining vehicles have been destroyed and sold as spare parts.”