From Ben Dunno, Warri
The police in Delta State have discovered a hidden car workshop within Olodi-Apapa in Lagos where a syndicate that stole cars across the country changed their colours and identities.
About 16 exotics cars including Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) with different state registration numbers and a military camouflage uniform with which they beat police and Customs officers at checkpoints were seized alongside the ignition keys.
A victim simply identified as Eric, who narrated how his car was snatched at gunpoint in Warri, Delta State two weeks ago and taken to Lagos by the syndicate who had completed arrangements to change the car colour and interiors, told our correspondent that it was with the aide of the tracking device that the location was discovered.
He said his wife drove her car (Hyundai ) marked Lagos EF 972 GGE to drop one of the television sets in the house in Warri South council area.
He said she was accosted by two gunmen who instructed her to drop the car key including some of her valuables like phones, goods she sells and handbag containing some cash inside the vehicle.
Eric reported the case at the nearest ‘B Division’ Police station in Warri, disclosing that the car had a tracking device which spurred the police into action.
The police unit on receiving the tracking code were able to track the location of the car to Lagos.
It was while in Lagos that the snatched vehicle was traced to a car spraying facility owned by one George, a Ghanaian, who claimed he had resided in the country for over 40 years.
George confessed that the snatched vehicle was brought to his workshop by one Henry from Delta State, now at large.
All the suspects and the ignition keys of the 16 recovered cars at the workshop are in custody of the Police at the ‘B’ Division in Warri, while investigation continues.