ABUJA — Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested a suspect who reportedly posed as an affluent prospective buyer before absconding with a Mercedes-Benz during a test drive at a motor dealership in Abuja.
The suspect was apprehended following an intensive three-day intelligence-led tracking operation that traced his getaway route out of the territory.
The Scheme at the Dealership
According to police sources and statements from the dealership, the suspect arrived at the showroom displaying interest in acquiring a high-end Mercedes-Benz. After negotiating terms with the sales representative, he requested a mandatory test drive to evaluate the vehicle’s performance.
Trouble started during the run when the driver stopped under the guise of buying fuel or completing a quick transaction. Exploiting a brief moment when the accompanying salesman stepped out of the vehicle, the suspect accelerated and sped off into Abuja’s traffic, severing all communication channels immediately afterward.
Tracked and Apprehended
Following a formal distress report lodged by the car dealer, police operatives attached to the anti-car theft unit activated digital tracking assets and inter-state surveillance networks.
Investigators pinpointed the suspect’s movement across state boundaries, culminating in his arrest three days after the vehicle was reported stolen. The stolen luxury vehicle was also successfully recovered intact.
Police authorities confirmed that the suspect is currently in custody undergoing profiling and detailed interrogation to establish whether he operates as part of a wider syndicate specializing in high-value vehicular theft across the country. He is expected to be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of preliminary investigations.
