A South Africa returnee, Victor Remi, has been arrested in Lagos for armed robbery.
Also arrested with him is his partner in crime, Ekeh Maxwell. They were both picked up by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
The suspects, Remi (27), a forex trader and Maxwell (23), a musician, were arrested on Monday, weeks after their heist.
The suspects, both residents of 18, Alexandra Street, Abule Egba, Lagos, disclosed that they got all the details of their victim through his twitter handle.
Narrating the modus operandi of the duo in a statement, the RRS said the: “two suspects lured a computer dealer to a desolate location and dispossessed him of three Apple laptops valued at N1.5 million, at gun point.”
They added that they opened up conversation with him immediately and placed an order for two Apple laptops (MacBook Pro – 2018 edition).
According to Remi, the South Africa returnee, “I told the dealer I was the Managing Director of a new company in Acme Road, Ikeja. I also told him that my daughter recommended him and that his laptops are legit. I ordered one for myself and another for my secretary.
“It took us a week to initiate, perfect our plan and execute it. My colleague, Maxwell borrowed his brother’s Camry (FKJ 833 EZ) for the deed. We bought a toy gun and painted it. I controlled the dealer to Acme Crescent because we knew the location was a desolate area.”
He continued,“while Maxwell drove, I whatsapped the dealer that he brings the consignment to my office. I told him that my driver would pick him up at Acme Crescent.
We met him there. He entered the vehicle while the driver picked me up few meters from where he entered. He was sitting in front with the laptops. I placed the gun on his neck and ordered him to surrender them. We wanted to take his phone too but he pleaded not to be stripped of everything. We told him to alight from the car and we escaped.”
Sources disclosed that Remi told his accomplice that the three Apple laptops were two instead of three. The source added that Remi lied to his partner that he sold each of the two laptops, N250,000 each instead of the N500,000:00 their original market value which he sold them.
“He gave Maxwell N250,000:00”, he added. The suspect confirmed this to our reporter, when questioned.
According to the computer dealer, who does not want his name in print, “one Uche ordered for two Apple laptops. We were communicated on WhatsApp. I never had an inkling that they were robbers. They used a gun and knife to dispossess me of the laptops. The three laptops are worth N1.5 million.”
The three Apple laptops have so far been recovered from their buyers while they reportedly threw away the toy gun after the operation.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) Zubairu Muazu in his reaction to the arrest of the suspects advised Lagosians to moderate the amount of information they expose publicly through the social media, adding that criminal minded elements are exploiting the social media to perpetrate crime.
He restated the commitment of the Command to remain unrelenting in the pursuit of criminals in the state.
(Metro Watch)
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