The Lagos State Police Command has successfully detained the primary suspect behind a criminal ring accused of swindling vehicle sellers out of 29 high-end cars worth more than N1 billion. The individual, who had been avoiding law enforcement, was captured after detectives followed leads from syndicate members already in custody.
Authorities report that the group operated by pretending to be legitimate customers. They used fake intermediaries and invalid post-dated cheques to secure expensive vehicles before disappearing with them. Police Commissioner Fatai Tijani has instructed the State Criminal Investigation Department in Yaba to track down the remaining fugitives involved in the scheme.
So far, officials have recovered 16 of the 29 stolen cars by utilizing the AUTOREG tracking system and intelligence-led investigations. While 12 vehicles have been handed back to their rightful owners, cars with a total value of N534 million are still missing. Deputy Commissioner Dayo Akinbisehin is currently overseeing the probe into the matter.
Police officials have urged car dealers to be more vigilant. They recommend performing strict background checks on buyers to prevent similar fraudulent activities.
