By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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Ekiti State Police Command on Sunday confirmed the arrest of a middle-aged man who specialises in stealing phones in churches and other worshipping centres within Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Sunday Abutu, the suspect, Babatunde Olaoluwa, operates as a one-man gang, specialising in stealing phones from worship centres.

He was arrested after carting away seven  phones belonging to some worshippers of Christ Apostolic Church, Ayegbaju-Ekiti, in Oye local government area of the state.

The spokesperson of the command explained that the suspect, who went to the church, and pretended to be one of their members, studied the worshippers and in the euphoria of praises, made away with seven phones.

“The suspect, during interrogation, confessed to have been operating around Oye and Ayegbaju-Ekiti, with churches as his target. He further confessed to have stolen a lot of phones from The Redeemed Christian Church of God and New Reality Christian Centre, all in Oye-Ekiti.

“Investigation revealed that the suspect, after meeting his target, normally sends the stolen phones through motor park to Lagos, where his friend would assist him to sell them and send the proceeds back to him through online transfer,” he stated.

Further investigation revealed that the seven phones stolen by the suspect during his last operation at Christ Apostolic Church, Ayegbaju-Ekiti, have been recovered from him by the police.

It was learnt that some of victims of his atrocities, who showed up at the station, had identified the suspect and their stolen phones.

The PPRO explained that the suspect who is currently detained at the police command, is still helping the police with the investigation.

He said he would be arraigned immediately after the conclusion of investigation.