Newly-employed driver who stole his boss' car in Ibadan arrested in Akwa Ibom

A driver, identified as Solomon Okon, who stole his boss Honda CRV Sport Utility Vehicle one month after being employed in Ibadan, Oyo State has been arrested in Akwa Ibom State.

According to the Oyo Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) arrested the suspect in his hide-out in Ikot Ekpene where he sold the car.

He said, "Having successfully stolen the car, the suspect (Okon) escaped with it to Akwa Ibom State, where it was sold to a criminal receiver.

"Consequent upon the report made to the police by the owner of the stolen car, operatives of the F-SARS, Oyo State Police Command, immediately commenced investigation, which led to the arrest of the suspect in his criminal hideout in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. Upon his arrest, the suspect led the operatives to a hotel in the same town, where the car was recovered."

Odude revealed that some sensitive materials of one of the leading political parties in the country were found in the SUV when it was recovered.

According to the owner of the vehicle, Mrs. Olufunke Obaba, the suspect had driven her to the hospital to do a medical check-up before he absconded with the vehicle.

"We got there around 8.30am. He parked and I entered the hospital. About two and half hours later, I came back and my car wasn't where it was parked. I called his numbers, none was going through. Then, I called my husband and told him to come and pick me. He came and took me back to the office.

"I thought he (Okon) just drove the car out to enjoy himself and that he would bring it back. But between 3 pm and 4 pm, we felt we needed to report to the police. So, we went to the Yemetu Police Station in Ibadan, where we reported the disappearance of the driver and the car, and the police took it up from there," she explained.

It was gathered that the tracker device in the vehicle helped trace the location of the suspect. Okon has confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court.