I make N18,000 daily from pickpocketing, says suspect

A suspected pickpocket arrested in Computer Village, Ikeja area of Lagos State has confessed to operatives of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS) that he made at least N18,000 daily selling stolen phones. The suspect, Lawal Daodu, 31, was arrested on Friday at about 5:00 p.m. when he unsuccessfully picked a phone from the pocket of a passerby in Ikeja Under-Bridge.

Lawal, who had before his arrest picked two android phones from passersby was removing another android phone from the pocket of another victim when the phone incidentally fell from his hand thus drawing the attention of its owner. He was promptly arrested by the RRS officers attached to the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed at Ikeja Under-Bridge. Just as the suspect was explaining the source of the phones in his possession, one of his victims, who was trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening saw his phone in the suspect’s hands.

Lawal in his confession to the police explained that he operates in Computer Village, Ikeja and Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island. “On Friday, I was in Computer Village as usual. I have picked two phones in the morning, which I sold to my customers in Computer Village.

“In the afternoon, I resumed picking few phones. I was picking the third one when the owner raised an alarm, which attracted the attention of the RRS men. They arrested me and unfortunately, just as I was trying to prove my innocence, one of my victims identified his phone in my hand.

“I don’t operate every time. I go out at times twice in a week and I make at least N18,000 from pickpocketing. There were times I made more than that, especially, when I pick expensive phones. I started pickpocketing in 2017 and I have never been arrested before. I buy and sell cloth in Computer Village. I resort to pickpocketing occasionally.

“I sell the phones to Afeez and Lanre. They are street guys in Computer Village. I was trained by Bello. I have not seen him in a long while now,” he added. Commenting on the development, the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, said the suspect is assisting the police in the arrest of the buyers of his stolen phones in Computer Village, Ikeja.