MUST READ: EFCC reveals new tricks used by car thieves

MUST READ: EFCC reveals new tricks used by car thieves

A new trick being used by car thieves have now been revealed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. According to EFCC, these thieves now resort to issuing stolen or dud cheques to unsuspecting people.

EFCC has now warned the public to be at alert whenever they want to transact business with people they do not know.

Va a statement released on Monday, the anti-corruption body revealed that the new trick was discovered during an investigating following a petition against one Babatunde Oni, also known as  Olu Daniel.

Punch reports that the said Babatunde, who is from Odo Eri, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, was arrested by the Ibadan zonal office of the EFCC  following allegations of conspiracy, stealing and issuance of a dud cheque from Mr Kamoru Yekini on November 21, 2018.

The petitioner claimed that on October 16, 2018, Babatunde alongside one other man came to his shop in  Iwo, Osun State, so as to buy a 2006 Toyota Matrix he displayed for sale.

They negotiated and settled on N1,580,000.00. Babatunde then went on to issue a post-dated First Bank cheque to cover the cost of the car. The petitioner added that Babatunde acted like he was the driver to the second suspect who claimed to be the account owner and a doctor at Bowen University, Iwo.

The petitioner went on to state that Babatunde left the scene to ‘deposit’ the money then came back with a deposit slip as evidence of payment of the agreed sum. Despite being uncomfortable with the payment arrangement,  the petitioner eventually released the car, in hopes of being able to contact the buyer’  on the telephone if there was an issue.

EFCC revealed that the following day, the petitioner received a call from his bank that the cheque had been returned as the account did not have sufficient money.

The car has since been recovered in Abuja after it had been sold to a lady for N1,8m and Babatunde has since been arrested in his hideout in Abuja.

While in custody of the EFCC, another complainant came forth with the same claim, revealing that on September 7, 2018, two men came to his filling station around Mokola, Ibadan, in hopes of buying a 2007 Toyota Avensis car he displayed and a dud cheque of  N2m, was issued by Babatunde.

Just like the first case, Babatunde acted as the driver and also claimed to have taken the cheque to bank to ‘deposit’ the money returning with a deposit slip.

The car dealer, however, told the suspects to hold on so he could confirm if the money had been deposited in his car while the suspects tested the car.

Before he could, the suspects zoomed off with the car as every document had already been handed to them.