The Oyo State Police Command says it has recovered a stolen vehicle and arrested three suspects involved in an alleged vehicle theft and receipt of stolen property.

The stolen vehicle, a Toyota Carina E with registration number GGE 488 CN, was reportedly stolen on July 3 after its owner, 55-year-old Ruben Adebayo of Akobo, in Ibadan, was allegedly lured into a carefully orchestrated scheme by one of the suspects, who posed as a client.

Disclosing this in a statement, the Police spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the complainant had conveyed the principal suspect, 60-year-old Femi Ojo, from Akobo to the Motor Spare Parts Market in Ibadan, where the suspect claimed he wanted to purchase a vehicle engine and other spare parts.

According to the police, after inspecting and failing to reach an agreement on the price, Ojo purchased a vehicle shaft and allegedly told the driver that he had identified another location for a suitable engine.

The suspect reportedly left for the new location on a commercial motorcycle, instructing the complainant to remain at the market with the purchased shaft until further notice.

The police stated that Ojo later telephoned the complainant, requesting that the shaft be delivered through a commercial motorcycle rider, claiming it would be faster. Believing the request was genuine, Adebayo parked and locked his vehicle before leaving with the item.

Police investigators stated that, unknown to the complainant, an accomplice, allegedly stationed at the market, stole the vehicle when he left, and on Adebayo’s return, the suspect had disappeared and his vehicle had also vanished.

Following the report, detectives from the command reportedly deployed both technical and operational resources to probe the matter, and eventually arrested Ojo in Akure, Ondo State.

According to the police, further investigation revealed that Ojo and an accomplice still at large allegedly sold the stolen vehicle for N700,000 to Kayode Afolabi, 49, who subsequently resold it for N800,000 to another suspect, Olatunji Mutiu, also 49.

The police said investigators later tracked the vehicle to the Motor Spare Parts Market in Akure, where it was recovered. It further disclosed that the vehicle’s original Oyo State commercial colour had been changed to green in an attempt to conceal its identity.

Investigators also discovered that the latest receiver had allegedly dismantled the vehicle’s engine and gearboxes. However, the police said the detached components were recovered, and the vehicle was towed to a police facility as investigations continue.

Also, the command stated that during interrogation, three suspects confessed to their respective roles and would be arraigned at the conclusion of the investigations. It added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing accomplice and dismantle the remaining members of the alleged vehicle theft syndicate.

Commending the operatives, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, assuring that actionable intelligence would be professionally used to safeguard lives and property.