The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man, Bukola Olabode, who allegedly defrauded Point of Sale operators (PoS) and residents of Ihunbo in the Ipokia Local Government Area while impersonating a police officer.
According to PUNCH Metro on Thursday, residents apprehended the suspect on Tuesday, and subsequently handed over to officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who later transferred him to the police at the Idiroko Division.
The Ogun State Police Command revealed to PUNCH Metro that the suspect’s modus operandi involved wearing a police camouflage shirt paired with jeans to execute fraudulent transactions using PoS machines.
The suspect met his Waterloo when he attempted a similar fraudulent act at the PoS stand of an operator named Mary Midoyin.
When his deception was discovered by the operator, the suspect was said to have fled the scene.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the residents pursued him, leading to his eventual capture.
Odutola said, “The suspect was dressed in a police camouflage shirt, cap, and jeans when he committed the crime. Upon realising his cover had been blown, he quickly made a fake transfer to Mary Midoyin, a PoS operator, and collected N60,000 before fleeing the scene.
“Residents pursued and apprehended the suspect, handing him over to the NSCDC office in Ihunbo before he was transferred to the Idiroko Police Division. He has since confessed to defrauding PoS operators in the community.
“A Samsung phone, a black Itel phone used for the fraud, and a police constabulary warrant card were recovered from the suspect. Additionally, a round-neck T-shirt was found in his possession. He has since been detained”.
