The Kano State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the theft and smuggling of a vehicle stolen during a test drive at a car dealership in the state.
In a statement on Sunday, police spokesperson SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa disclosed that the suspects were apprehended following a coordinated operation by operatives of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) led by CSP Rabiu Gidado.
The incident occurred on July 7 when Abdulqadir Abdurrahman, a car dealer from Gadan Kaya Quarters, reported that a man identified as Shamsu Yusuf, popularly known as “Chitta,” posed as a buyer at Dangari Motors and drove off with a gold-colored 2013 Toyota Corolla during a test drive.
Acting on the report, police launched an investigation and arrested Yusuf along with his two accomplices — 40-year-old Bashir Ladan of Shagari Quarters, Katsina, and 41-year-old Suleiman Muntari of Tudun Matawalle, Katsina. The stolen vehicle, which had already been transported to the Niger Republic, was successfully recovered.
“The principal suspect confessed to a series of car thefts, including a recent case involving a GLK Mercedes-Benz,” the statement noted, adding that investigations are ongoing.
Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, PhD, has urged car dealers to remain cautious when engaging with prospective buyers and called on residents to report suspicious activities promptly.
