I am an expert in stealing, suspected pickpocket confesses

The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command have arrested a pickpocket suspect, who claimed to be an expert in thievery.The suspect, popularly known as ‘Dayo Skippo’ after he was arrested at Ikeja under-bridge told RRS ‘decoy’ team in an interrogation that he has been in the theft act for a long time.

He added that the current economic situation that led him into the crime. The suspect, a secondary school dropout, explained that all he needed to do was to have the slightest physical contact with his victim and their valuables were gone.

“I can use my head and my brain to remove anything from your body. I will just pretend as if I know you somewhere and in the process of giving you salutations, your item is gone”, he confessed. 

He added that he didn’t perpetrate the theft alone but worked with some members of his cartel in case the victim became suspicious they would quickly swing into action.
One of his victims, who narrated his encounter with the suspect, said
 
“I went to Ikeja Computer Village to see my friend. After seeing him on my way to the bus park, I just saw someone hugged me from behind and later apologised to me when I told him I didn’t know him; before I could look around again. I discovered my phone was gone already and the guy was nowhere to be found.”

“I went back to my friend’s shop almost immediately to track my iPhone and the location I saw was that my phone was already in Lagos Island”. The victim added.The suspect, however, appealed during interrogation to be given a second chance to turn a new leaf swearing that he would never go back to the act.

Confirming the incident, the Police spokesman, Olarinde Famous Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP), said there would be no hiding place for criminals in Lagos State adding that officers of the command were at alert to nip crime in the bud.The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba for further investigations.