Joseph Oche, 25, arrested on Monday with Okonkwo Oyakhilome, 22 by Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives, said whenever he was broke, he was sure of making money on that route.
He and Oyahkilome were arrested for allegedly picking N23,500 from the pocket of a passenger at Agbado U-Turn on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. He said they monitored their victim from the bank.
Oche, a secondary school drop-out was quoted by RRS as saying: “We monitored our victim come out of a bank and we followed him into a bus. We were at the bus stop together but we couldn’t bring out the money from his pocket at the bus stop.
“We followed him into a bus and we began to pull out the money from his pocket. Because the money was in N500 denomination, it was difficult removing the entire money all at once. I was removing the money in tranches, but unfortunately for us, he was alighting at the next bus stop. On all occasions, as soon as we conclude our operations, we get down fast at the available bus stop.
“But, he got down before us and instantly, he sensed some money was missing from his pocket and this was when he raised the alarm and RRS men at that point stepped in. They were searching passengers when my colleague, Oyahkilome, brought out the stolen N23, 500 and handed it to the police to save us from embarrassment and to let the matter rest like that but, we were shocked when they transferred us to RRS Headquarters.”
He said he learnt how to pick pocket from one Kudus for three months before teaming up with Oyahkilome. He added that he has done virtually all type of jobs from conductor to driver and factory worker but none was more profitable than pick pocketing.
“Although, I live near Ojo Cantonment, Mile 2 to Okokomaiko to and fro is my regular route but Agbado to Ijaiye is the most lucrative route for my business. It has remained my ‘sure banker’.
“There are too many pickpockets on Oshodi to Mile 2 route. Those are our popular routes. We meet ourselves at almost every bus stop on that axis, though you would still make money but I chose Iyana-Ipaja/Agbado-Ijaiye route because there are almost none there,” he said.
The suspects have been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
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