For those who love to patronise the "fairly used' phone market, there is a need for caution as some dealers have perfected the acts of rebranding stolen smartphones and pass them on to unsuspecting buyers as London "fairly used phones.
The Police in Lagos last week arrested a man, James Adebayo, on the allegation that he specialises in receiving stolen phones from armed robbers and pick-pockets criminals and resell as fairly used phones to unsuspecting members of the public.
According to the police, the suspect, usually re-furbished the phones as ‘London used’ smartphones and put them up for sale to unsuspecting buyers who are desirous of owning good smartphones but could not afford the high prices of new ones.
Nigeria has the largest market for used smartphones imported from Asians and United Kingdom (UK) for sale in the local market.
The suspect, 30-year-old residence of Araloya Street, Lagos, was tracked down with an Iphone 7 a belonging to a Lagos-based banker and was and later arrested and taken into custody by the police.
The suspect, 30-year-old residence of Araloya Street, Lagos, was tracked down with an Iphone 7 a belonging to a Lagos-based banker and was and later arrested and taken into custody by the police.
“The banker had on August 23 boarded a ‘one chance’ bus around 5.45am on his way to work. The robbers dispossessed him of a laptop and two phones, one of which was traced to Adebayo. He was trying to sell it to a customer on Lagos Island when he was nabbed," Police sources revealed.
a statement by the Lagos State funded rapid Response Squared (RRS) said also found on the suspect were six iPhones, four other smart phones and three MTN SIM packs, which he said he collected from the robbers.
The suspect allegedly said he regularly bought stolen phones from three people, saying he was aware they were robbers.
He said, “I started selling fairly-used phones about a year ago. When customers patronised my clothes shop, they talked about buying fairly-used phones. I started assisting them to collect and sell. This was about three years ago. Uche, Alubi and Pinheiro were three major guys I collected phones from.
“If I said I didn’t know that the phones were stolen, I would be lying. I knew some of the phones were forcefully collected from people. I buy iPhone 7 with iCloud for N45,000 and sell at N55,000. Those without iCloud, I buy for N150,000 and sell at N180,000. I buy Samsung phones for N22,000 and sell at N27,000. I work on the phones and redesign them as London-used phones.”
The police said Uche, Alubi and Pinhero had fled the areas they lived since the arrest of Adebayo.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, on the instruction of the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi.
The suspect allegedly said he regularly bought stolen phones from three people, saying he was aware they were robbers.
He said, “I started selling fairly-used phones about a year ago. When customers patronised my clothes shop, they talked about buying fairly-used phones. I started assisting them to collect and sell. This was about three years ago. Uche, Alubi and Pinheiro were three major guys I collected phones from.
“If I said I didn’t know that the phones were stolen, I would be lying. I knew some of the phones were forcefully collected from people. I buy iPhone 7 with iCloud for N45,000 and sell at N55,000. Those without iCloud, I buy for N150,000 and sell at N180,000. I buy Samsung phones for N22,000 and sell at N27,000. I work on the phones and redesign them as London-used phones.”
The police said Uche, Alubi and Pinhero had fled the areas they lived since the arrest of Adebayo.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, on the instruction of the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi.
0 comments:
Post a Comment