Operatives
of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command on Friday
apprehended a young lady, her boyfriend and two others for stealing an
Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, which belonged to one Musa Alli and
withdrew over N300, 000.00 from the account.
The
lady, Bamigboye Imoleayo, 24, was arrested by the operatives at a club house
(name withheld) in Surulere area of Lagos over the crime before arresting three
other accomplices, including her boyfriend, Adeyinka Ayodele the same day
in Itori, Ogun State.
The
victim, who reported the case at the RRS’s office in Alausa, said that he met
the suspect at a club in Surulere last week Friday. He added that the lady had
earlier stolen his ATM before memorising his Personal Identification Number
(PIN) during online transfer of funds into his friend’s account.
He said that he was shocked on Saturday afternoon when he received alerts amounting to N90, 000:00 withdrawals.He explained: “While I was still contemplating how to deal with the issue, I got another debit alert for buying two Infinix phones totaling N84, 000:00. I was confused and shocked. I didnt know what action to take on a Saturday evening.
“On
Sunday, there was another debit. I couldn’t pin the crime to the lady I met at
the club. I lodged a complaint on Monday at my bank and I was told that the
withdrawals and shopping were legitimately made by me.I reported the incident
at the RRS’s office on Monday after informing my bank. My emphasis to the
police was the withdrawals and shopping totaling N300, 000:00.
It
was unbelievable for me when I was face to face with the suspect, the lady I
met at the club.
And, she explained everything”, he
stated.Sources at the RRS’s Headquarters disclosed that after the arrest, the
lady, Bamigboye Imoleayo, owned up during interrogations that she pocketed the
victims ATM card when the owner slept off during their conversation at night at
the club.
“I
managed to steal the card when Musa (victim) dozed off during our
conversations. Initially, I had spied on and crammed his PIN when he was
sending money to his colleague via mobile app.“ I committed this offence
because I was so desperate to re – stock my shop at Wasimi in Ogun State, and
also to take care of my only daughter. I never had a rethink while committing
the crime. But, I regretted my action now”, she stated.
She
further narrated how she in company of her lover withdrew and expended funds
from the ATM. She explained, “After I spied on his PIN during a particular
banking transaction on his phone, I intended to only withdraw N20, 000.00 out
of his bank account and then destroy the card.
However,
when I withdrew the money, and checked the account balance, I was shocked to
see his balance. Afterwards, I withdrew another N70, 000.00 again making N90,
000.00 that day.
“Then, the following day, I called my boyfriend, who instructed me not to destroy the card, but I should come straight to Itori, Ogun State, where he resides.“The following day, we went straight to Abeokuta to use the card. We thought by going this far nobody could trace us. We bought two android phones for N84, 000 at a phone store.
“We
proceeded to a boutique where four of us bought clothes worth N126, 000. I
recharged my phone with another N2,500 worth of recharge card. The money spent
from the account was over N300, 000.00”, she revealed.
Two
Android phones, eight pairs of trousers and shirts were recovered from the
suspects during a thorough search of their residents. Confirming the arrest,
the image-maker of Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, urged members of
public to always protect their PIN during banking transaction at any point in
time.The suspect and exhibits recovered have been transferred to State Criminal
Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for prosecution.
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