Ondo police arrest suspected car thief after ₦100,000 fuel theft
By Boye Oyeyemi
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected car thief in Isua after he allegedly drove away from a filling station without paying ₦100,000 for petrol.
The arrest also led to the recovery of a vehicle reportedly stolen from the suspect’s former employer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The development was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, in a statement, noting that the operation involved police officers and personnel of the Nigerian Army. According to Jimoh, the incident occurred at about 11:59 a.m. on Friday, October 9, when a man identified as Akin Thomas reported that a motorist had collected petrol worth ₦100,000 at Epinmi and driven away without paying. The suspect was identified as Bamidele Rowell Lodi.
Jimoh said the suspect allegedly asked the fuel attendant to fetch water before driving off without settling the bill. Following the report, officers from the Isua Police Division mobilised, mounted roadblocks and launched a pursuit to apprehend him.
During the chase, the suspect reportedly diverted towards the Ise–Ikare Road in an attempt to evade arrest. However, the coordinated efforts of the police and soldiers stationed at the Auga military checkpoint led to his interception and arrest.
Further investigations reportedly linked the vehicle to one allegedly stolen from the suspect’s employer in Port Harcourt. According to the police, investigators matched the vehicle’s chassis number with details of a vehicle previously reported stolen.
The command said preliminary findings indicated that Lodi had worked as a security guard for the vehicle’s owner before allegedly stealing the car and fleeing. The suspect and the recovered vehicle remain in police custody as investigations continue.
Reacting, the Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, commended the officers and soldiers involved in the operation and urged residents to promptly report suspicious activities. The command added that investigations would be concluded before appropriate legal action was taken in accordance with the law.
