26-year-old Emmanuel John has been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Command Rapid Response Squad, RRS, for absconding with Mrs. Flora Ighalo, his boss’ car after making a duplicate copy of the car key without her knowledge.
John who was apprehended at the Abraham Adesanya Estate, Lekki explained that he stole the vehicle, a Toyota Corolla with license registration Epe 642 DX so as to take it to a valentine party at Splash Hotel, Sangotedo, Ajah.
John who explained how carefully he planned the theft said he had a week before stealing the car made a copy of the car key without his boss’ knowledge. He explained further that on Sunday, February 14, Valentine’s day, he snuck into the premises as he was not supposed to be at work and made away with the car.
“I and my friend, Oscar, wanted to carry the Toyota Corolla to Splash Hotel’s Valentine Show on Sunday night. I persuaded Madam to give the go ahead to cut a spare key but she declined. A week before, February 14th, I duplicated the key without her knowledge in Obalende.
“Though, she excused me from work on Sundays, I sneaked into her resident and took away the car after church. I took the car to my residence in Ajuwe Area, Ajah, Lagos.
“My plan was that, after the valentine show, it’s going to be stressful for me to leave the show around 3:00 a.m, go home and freshen up and set out for Abraham Adesanya Estate around 4:00 a.m. for the day’s work, with the car, it will make it easy for me to make it to work.
“After driving the car round Ajah, I was on my way home at around 8:00 p.m. when I saw madam calling my set. She asked me where I was and I told her and she said I should come to her house that I was going to take her somewhere. I turned the car and I headed towards Abraham Adesanya Estate.
“I was in Abraham Adesanya Estate Roundabout trying to enter the Estate, when a man double crossed me and RRS officials arrested me. They asked me where I took the car to since morning and I explained everything to them.
“Madam has been very nice to me. She pays N35,000 monthly salary. I am almost like her family member. I am always at ease with her and her family.”
John’s boss, Mrs Ighalo, a tax consultant explained that; “At about 8:20 p.m., I was seeing off my in-law and to my surprise, I discovered that my car has been removed from the park.
“I immediately called few friends and one of them, got in touch with the operatives of RRS but it never occurred to me that my driver could take a vehicle I just brought from the church, with its key in my hand without my notice. Besides, he was not supposed to come to work on Sunday.”
She narrated further; “I called him to ask him where he is and he told me that he was at home. I told him to come and pick me to somewhere, he said okay. He came and we saw the car with him”
The Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incidence and further adding that the arrested driver had been handed over to the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, for further investigation.
She said; “It is important to determine if the suspect acted alone or he has an accomplice.”
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