A man caught while removing the brain box of a vehicle where it was parked in Ibadan, Oyo State, Moses Eke, has given the need money to buy medication for his impotence as one of the reasons behind his sction.
He also said that in addition to that, he had been experiencing hard times.
The Public Relations Officer in Oyo State Police Command, CSP Adewale Osifeso, had told journalists at a recent press briefing that Eke, aged 50, was apprehended on October 4 when he was caught removing the brain box of a Toyota Corolla car with registration number BDJ 44 BG which was parked opposite a well- known pharmacy located on Queen Elizabeth Road in Ibadan.
He said that immediately the suspect, who specialised in the unlawful removal of vehicles from the locations where they were parked, saw the the car empty after its owner had parked it, gained entry into it by using a crafted master key.
‘Upon gaining access to the vehicle, the perpetrator attempted to start the ignition with the master key but was unsuccessful.
‘Consequently, he resorted to removing the car’s brain box and other essential components.
‘The suspect’s action did not go unnoticed, as vigilant passersby observed the theft in progress and promptly raised the alarm.
‘This led to the arrest of the suspect who was subsequently handed over to the authorities at the Yemetu Division,’ the Command’s spokesman explained.
He stated further that the suspect was transferred to the Command’s Monitoring Unit where he confessed to the crime.
In his confession, the suspect, who told the police operatives that he hailed from Kwale in Delta State, said: ‘I was working at the port in Tincan Island, Lagos State. I drove a car from Lagos to Ibadan and went to a pharmacy (name withheld) to buy medication for the impotence I’m suffering.
‘I parked the car and went in, but on my exit from the pharmacy back to the car, I noticed a Toyota Corolla car with no occupant. It was about 4p.m.
‘l had learnt how to steal cars from where parked while working at Tincan Island, so, I used a crafted key to open the car door and removed the brain box.
‘While doing it, security man saw me and raised alarm. I was apprehended by a mob and almost lynched save for quick intervention by police operatives. They rescued me and took me into custody at police station.’
The suspect said he had not spent a long time in the crime, disclosing that he started it at Wharf in Apapa, Lagos. ‘I knew how to do it from where I was working as a technician dealing with used imported vehicles,’ he disclosed.
He also confessed to have manufactured the master key himself, saying : ‘I gave a man to file a screwdriver for me, after which I gave a welder to join an end to it that I could hold.’ However, he said that it could not be used for all vehicles except old models.
He further confessed: ‘I’ve done five operations at Tincan Island. This is my first time in Ibadan.’
When asked why he engaged in such crime, Eke, father of six, responded: ‘Things have been hard for me. And I also wanted to buy expensive medication for the impotence I’m suffering.’
The PPRO said that further investigation was still being conducted, with assurances of timely updates.