A wanted phone dealer in Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, Da-Silva, aka Da Gold, (28), who the Police claimed specialized in buying mobile phones from robbers, cultists and pickpockets operating in Ogun and Lagos states has been arrested.
The police alleged that he has confessed that he used to buy over 30 stolen phones a week.
After almost three months of the relentless hunt by the decoy team of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the suspected godfather of stolen phones also admitted that he made between N25,000 and N30,00 daily from buying and selling stolen phones.
His arrest followed a robbery incident around Ifako-Ijaiye, where mobile phones, laptops, and other valuables were carted away at gunpoint.
Da Gold was said to have been on the run after police began a crackdown on the robbery gangs supplying him mobile phones.
The suspect also confessed to have maintained links with three robbery gangs, who constantly supplied him with stolen phones and other valuables after their operations. He admitted that he sold the phones in Computer village, Ikeja and shipped some to Kwara, Osun and Oyo state to make tracking of the stolen phones difficult for security operatives to retrieve if investigated.
The police quoted Da-Gold, in his confessional statement, to have said that the Special Anti Robbery Squad in Magbon, Abeokuta, Ogun State, arrested a robbery gang (AY’s gang), who mentioned his name as the receiver of all their stolen phones and he was arrested. He said:
“After the Magbon arrest, I resulted to wearing hoodie sweatshirts, which I use to disguise to avoid security agents from identifying me as many more investigations have turned their searchlight on the Ikeja computer village ‘big boy’.
“I have different colors and designs of the hoodie sweatshirt and I often avoid some areas to avoid getting arrested while I continued my business.”
“I deal with smartphones. I have been a phone technician in Computer village, Ikeja, since 2012. When I realized that it wasn’t yielding enough money, I developed links with a network of boys on the streets that gave me a steady supply of phones. I wipe or flash them before selling them. I don’t collect their SIM cards.
“They bring them to me daily. I get up to six or seven smartphones from them on a daily basis and I sell to my customers in computer village.
“Selling those phones fetched me between N25,000 to N30,000 daily. I don’t bother to ask them about how they get the phones because they have told me they were gotten through ‘stop and search’, meaning they robbed their owners to get them.
‘’I am not a robber. Face to face, they would confirm to you. I bought the phones from them. I have never followed them to rob. What I do before is internet fraud before I started buying stolen phones from the guys.”
The suspect, according to sources in Ifako-Ijaiye, had remained evasive since he was arrested by the police in Ogun State.
The source added that he has strings of criminals he is well connected within Orile-Iju, where his family house is located.
Police public relations officer in Lagos State, Bala Elkana, said the suspect had been transferred to SARS for further investigations.
