Oil bunkerer turned car parts theft who has stolen 57 brain boxes from various parts of Lagos Island meets his waterloo in the hands of RRS (photos)

Naji: Politics
an hour ago

- Kunle Afolabi, a 31-year-old car parts thief has been arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, in CMS, Lagos Island

- The suspect was apprehended by the security operatives after removing the winding buttons and wind shields of 2 Toyota Corollas

- Afolabi was formerly an oil bunkerer before he ventured into car parts theft, and had been imprisoned thrice before, for sundry offences bothering on stealing

Officials of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos state Police Command, nabbed one Kunle Afolabi, a former oil bunkerer, who now specializes in stealing vehicle parts, in CMS, Lagos Island, Lagos.

The development was made public on the Facebook page of the RRS.

Upon his arrest, Afolabi reportedly confessed to having stolen brain boxes from 57 Toyota cars in Ikoyi, Victoria and Lagos Island.

He stated: “I was introduced into the business of stealing vehicle parts by Yinka, a friend living in Cole Street, Oyingbo, Lagos in 2014. Together, we stole brain boxes of many cars, Toyota and Lexus.

“Our areas of operations were Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Ajah and Lagos Island. We operated thrice weekly.

Having mastered the act, I started my solo effort. I majored in brain boxes of Corrolla and Hilux only, maybe Toyota buses occasionally.”

“The focus on Toyota is because there is a ready buyer. Spare part sellers are ever ready to buy from you. I sell Corolla brain boxes for N40,000 and Hilux, around N70,000.

“I go for operations on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays. The areas I operate are Ikoyi, Lagos Island and Victoria Island.

“Because I wanted to operate on the Island that night, I told my wife that I was going to work. She knows I am into oil bunkering around Takwa Bay. About a year ago, the police forced me to abandon oil bunkering for car parts theft."

Narrating how he got caught, Afolabi stated further: “I surveyed the Broad Street around 9:00 p.m. on Thursday to see any vehicle I would remove its brain box and winding buttons. I had learnt to be very cautious now because I have been imprisoned thrice for sundry offences bothering on stealing.

“I was on the Island till 3:00 a.m. when I sneaked into Broad Street for operation on Friday. Before getting there, I had removed the brain box of a Toyota Corrolla in the adjoining street.

“I have removed the brain box and all the winding buttons in the car when a guard spotted me. He raised the alarm which drew the attention of Rapid Response Squad officers around. I was chased and arrested.”