Rita Enemuru, Reporting
THE Delta State Police Command has dismantled a four-member syndicate specialising in stealing brand new mobile phones from retail shops, recovering nine Android handsets still in their original packaging following an intelligence-led operation in Asaba.
Acting on credible intelligence and technical analysis, operatives of the command raided the suspects’ hideout along St. Brigid’s Road, Asaba, on 25 July 2026, arresting Johna Omarocha (male), Kelvin Onogho (male), Nkechi Nnaji (female), and Ufuoma Joshua (male).
A search of the premises uncovered nine brand new Android phones, still sealed in their cartons, which preliminary investigations have confirmed were stolen from retail shops across Asaba and its surrounding areas.
The suspects have reportedly confessed to their involvement in the racket, with police sources revealing that the gang operated by posing as genuine customers in shops and supermarkets.
They would use newspapers to conceal phones on display, covering them before casually walking out with the stolen goods.
The syndicate’s female member, Nkechi Nnaji, is said to have played a key role in the operation by waybilling the stolen phones to Lagos, where the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers would be altered to make the devices untraceable before they were sold on.
Police are currently making efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and to trace the owners of the recovered handsets.
The Commissioner of Police for Delta State, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, reaffirmed the command’s unwavering commitment to tackling all forms of crime.
He urged members of the public—particularly shop owners and business operators—to remain security-conscious and to promptly report any suspicious persons or activities to the police.
All four suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
