In what appears to be a major breakthrough in crime fighting and harvest of criminal arrests in the State, the Rivers State Police Command has arrested 26 suspected car snatchers and recovered 17 different brands of stolen vehicles across various parts of the State in recent times.
Among those arrested and paraded by the police for their alleged involvement in the crime was an Inspector of Police, Monday Igbali and 25 other suspects said to be responsible for snatching of cars in the State.
The state Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu while parading the suspects at the police headquarters, Moscow road, Port Harcourt last Wednesday, said one Chidube Anthony and Kelechi are the gang leaders of the car theft syndicates operating the car snatching business in the State, adding that 79 stolen cars in the State have been linked to them.
According to him, Chidube was the master trainer of the gang on car snatching business, stressing that he trains other gang members on how to snatch vehicles and he has been linked to all suspects arrested in the alleged crime.
He told journalists that Kelechi was a mechanic expert who specialises in removing car trackers built in any vehicle which make it easier for the car to be removed without being tracked, adding that most of the cars stolen in Port Harcourt were taken to Kano and Anambra States where they are dismantled and sold as scraps.
He averred that five of the suspects arrested were ex-convicts and that they met in correctional centres, stressing that the suspects used master keys as their modus operandi, to snatch vehicles and convert them to commercial vehicles and drive out of town with passengers inside the vehicles to beat security checks.
The state police boss further disclosed that the police detectives also arrested receivers of the stolen vehicles who came into town with the robbers and tell them the specification of the cars they want them to steal, adding that their witch doctor who tells them when is safe to go for operation has also been arrested.
“We also have team of robbers who follows you when you go to bank. When you resist them, they attack and fire you. Their fire arms have been recovered.
“Residents should put safety devices in their vehicles and be watchful” he said, and added that 17 cars have been recovered so far and some returned to the owners.
“The syndicate began operating in January 2023 and has been responsible for the theft of more than 40 cars. They all came to Port Harcourt from different States to perpetrate their criminal enterprise. Their operation sees them snatch cars or steal them from where they are parked. The cars are then classified into those to be sold and those to be sent to a scrap yard in Mgbuka-Obosi, Onitsha, to be ‘butchered’ for spare parts.
Their areas of operation include Akpajo, Eleme Junction, Trailer Park, Eleme, Owerri, Aba, Onitsha, etc. We have so far recovered eight cars from the gang,” he said.

By: Akujobi Amadi