A week after a customer fled with a N55m Mercedes Benz GLB 250 in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigerian Police Force personnel assigned to investigate the incident have successfully located the stolen vehicle in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The vehicle’s owner, Mohammed Manga, verified the news to our correspondent and stated that the suspect, identified as Henry, who made off with the car, is still on the run.
He said, “It, (the car) has been found today in Delta State. The car is with the police. It is the Commissioner of Police, Asaba, and his team that made the recovery. They are on the search for the suspect.”
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Wale Abbas, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, confirmed the recovery of the vehicle and announced that a search operation was underway to apprehend the fleeing suspect.
The CP said, “Sequel to a complaint received on July 3, 2023, around 5pm from a car dealer in Abuja whose vehicle was stolen from his car stand by the suspect who disguised as intending buyer and absconded with the said vehicle during a test drive on June 30, 2023, in Abuja.
“Armed with available intelligence, operatives of the CP-Decoy Squad stormed Ughelli town around 1.15am on July 3, 2023, and recovered the said Mercedes Benz SUV abandoned in a bush along Oteri road by Doctors Quarters, Ughelli North LGA. Serious manhunt for the suspect is ongoing.”
Waffi TV had reported that, Henry allegedly took off with the vehicle while test-driving it in the Garki area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Prior to the test drive, Mohammed Manga informed our correspondent that Henry approached a friend of his, expressing interest in purchasing the car.
After agreeing to the purchase for N55m, Henry, accompanied by Manga’s friend who sat in the driver’s seat during the test drive, stopped at a filling station to refuel the vehicle.
While at the filling station, Manga’s friend got out of the car to withdraw cash from a Point of Sale (PoS) operator. It was during this time that Henry, who remained alone in the vehicle, swiftly drove away with it.
Unable to locate Henry despite their efforts, Manga promptly reported the incident to the Anti-Car Theft Unit of the FCT Police Command.
