Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested an 18-year-old serial phone thief in Oshodi.

The suspect, Sadeeq Wasiu, who had been imprisoned seven times, was arrested on Tuesday after several months of being on the operatives’ wanted list.

Wasiu, alias “Omo Eiye”, as he is popularly called in Oshodi, was arrested at Oshodi Under-Bridge while trying to escape after snatching an Infinix Note 3 from an undergraduate.

Before his arrest, the suspect had been accused of being behind the theft of four phones and two bag robbery incidents in Oshodi.

In his confession, Sadeeq Wasiu claimed he was released from Potoki Prison, Badagry in January, 2017 and had run away from his home in Ikire, Osun State since he was 15 years old.

According to him, “I was 15 years when I came to Lagos to work as a conductor in 2014. My parents are not aware that I am in Lagos. My popular name is Eiye. I steal phones from people at Oshodi. We were three in my group – Ahmed alias Oyi, Tombolo and me.”

“We have stolen more than 45 phones as a group and countless number of phones individually. I used to sell the phones, according to their make, at Idi-Oro, Mushin, between N8,000 and N10,000. I have also gone to jail seven times,” he added.

Confirming the arrest, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmus, said that the Command will not rest on its oars in nipping in the bud, criminal activities in the state.

The suspect has been transferred to the Lagos State Taskforce in Oshodi for prosecution.

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