Lagos at the mercy of spit-and-rob pick-pocket

Pick-pockets have devised a new method of dispossessing their unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned cash and small items, including cell phones.
Police operatives attached to the the State Criminal Investigation Department are already investigating the development. The matter became a source of worry to the police, following an increase in the number of victims, who recently reported to the local police, that they had been robbed of their prized items such as mobile phones and cash.
A source informed The Point that this new generation of criminals go in pairs to ply their trade.
The gang’s modus operandi, it was gathered, usually involves one of them spitting on a victim, pretending it’s a mistake, apologising and pretending to help the victim to wipe it off. But while the victim is distracted by the action, the second suspect would stealthily pick his pocket.
“Spitting on people on the road and stealing their money is a new ploy being employed by thieves in down town Lagos, most especially at the venue of big parties or on Sundays, when people often dress well to church. The whole operation takes only a few minutes, as the victim would be busy cleaning himself,” a source said.
A detective, who pleaded anonymity, told The Point that two of such pick-pockets had been apprehended and were already in police net.
According to him, the pick-pockets and thieves, “are very violent and aggressive in nature.”
He disclosed that the arrested suspects had confessed to the crime, saying they used this method because it was easier and they could take advantage of the distraction already caused their victims by their action.
It was further learnt from one of the suspects that the new method had been fetching them more cash.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Dolapo Badmos, who described the new method as ”strange”, however, urged Lagosians to always inform the police whenever they noticed any suspicious activity while on the road or near banks or Automated Teller Machines.