By Esther Onyegbula

LAGOS—An 18-year-old suspect, arrested by the operatives of Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of Lagos State Police Command, has disclosed that he went into the business of picking pockets because it was more lucrative than the auto-mobile mechanic work he learned.

The suspect, Seun Jimoh, who is from Ondo State, was caught when he removed N18,000 from the pocket of a commuter during the rush to board a bus in Oshodi area of Lagos.

The handbag-totting and well-dressed suspect looked more like a business executive when he was arrested, and had already stolen four mobile phones from unsuspecting commuters in the early morning rush in the area.

Caught by victims

Two of his earlier victims, Onuh Austine and Onesimus Paul, were on the lookout for him after suspecting him of stealing their missing phones. When they spotted him removing the money from Gbenga Odeniyi, another commuter’s pocket, they raised alarm.

He promptly dropped the money and took to his heels, but RRS operatives close to the scene chased and caught him.

The operatives, after listening to the accusations, requested the victims’ phone numbers. They dialled the numbers and the phones rang in Jimoh’s handbag.

While at the RRS’s Headquarters, the suspect confessed to have stolen the two phones during a bus rush.

According to him, “on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I am always in Oshodi picking pockets. I steal an average of eight phones on Mondays, and about nine on Fridays. I don’t get more than five phones on Wednesdays.

“I am an orphan. I was brought to Lagos by my uncle. He took me to an automobile mechanic workshop, but I ran away to Mushin where I learned skills of picking pockets.

“All the phones that I stole, I sell them in Alaba Rago to some Hausas.”