Impersonator arrested for robbing guests at events

isaac dachen

April 18, 2017 2:35 PM

A serial thief who impersonates journalists to gain entry into events to steal phones and other gadgets has been arrested by the police in Lagos.

The impostor thief, Augustine Joseph

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The suspect, Augustine Joseph, according to a release from the Force Headquarters in Abuja, was arrested following a tip-off that he poses as a journalist working for top blogger Linda Ikeji and sneaks into events to steal expensive mobile phones, laptops gadgets as well as defraud dignitaries.

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At the time the suspect was arrested, he had an identification card bearing the name Michael Mordi, posing as an employee of the blogger, at an event in Lagos.

The statement revealed that Joseph had walked into one of the new generation bank’s head office at Victoria Island, Lagos, for an event on March 30, 2017, where he allegedly made away with a Samsung Galaxy S6 phone and other items belonging to guests at the event.

“Immediately we received the information, operatives of the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team led by , swung into action and based on the technical intelligence gathered, one Augustine Joseph (male) was arrested while the phone in question was recovered from him.

The suspect confessed to have stolen the phone from the complainant and equally confessed to other heinous crimes that are becoming rampant at public events.”

In his confessional statement, Joseph said:

“I have been into this business of stealing people’s things at events for more than a year now. I steal phones, laptops, and other gadgets when attending functions.

The method I mostly use is to come in as early as possible to familiarize myself with people. I always sit close to charging points where I would be able to carry out my act and I move around with different chargers to lend to people who need to charge their phones.

To get details about upcoming events, I download some events app on my phone and I add Facebook pages of events so as to stay current on activities happening around me.

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I go to the extent of paying as a participant to attend training and workshop in order for me to rob people of their belongings.”

The police statement adds that the suspect will be arraigned once investigations are concluded.

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