Saheed Abioye nicknamed Anini, a suspected serial phone thief, was apprehended by police in Osun state.
While being paraded before newsmen, the suspect, who was arrested by men from the Osun State Police Command’s Anti-Cultism Squad, stated that on the day of his arrest, he went to a church in the Alekuwudo area of Osun state with the intent of stealing the worshippers’ phones during their vigil service but fell asleep.
“I got to the church around 10.45 pm and sat at the back, waiting for the opportunity to steal the mobile phones of people who might want to charge at the back of the church. Unfortunately, I was unable to steal anything that fateful day because I slept off as soon as the vigil started and I did not wake up until around 3 am. By the time I woke up, the vigil had ended and people were already going home, so I left the church premises. I was unable to steal anything.
“When I got to the Alekuwodo area, before Akindeko Market, I saw a police patrol vehicle and some anti-cultism operatives from Dugbe (divisional headquarters, Osogbo). They stopped me and asked what I had on me and I replied that I had my purse and ID card. They searched me and found no incriminating item.
“They later took me back to the church to confirm if truly I was coming from there. When they asked the pastor, he said he did not see me in church, so they took me back to Dugbe Police Station. Later, my video was recorded and sent to other stations and some operatives, who had arrested me in the past, identified me as an expert in the theft of phones. I don’t steal cars, motorcycles or any other thing except phones.”
He admitted to detectives that he stole and sold over 18 phones from different parts of the state.
According to the police leadership, the alleged thief will be arraigned in court as soon as possible.
