A car wash attendant in Abuja , Mr Ayo , has been arrested by the police for allegedly stealing a customer ’ s 2008 Toyota Highlander SUV and taking it to Lagos on a joyride .
Ayo, a holder of an Ordinary National Diploma , was said to have changed the number plate of the vehicle and driven it to Ibadan from where he picked four passengers en route to Lagos .
The suspect was arrested at Agodi Junction , Ibadan on his way from Lagos by detectives from Apo police division, Abuja in collaboration with the Oyo State Police Command.
The Federal Capital Territory police spokesman , Anjuguri Manzah, explained that the owner of the SUV , Mrs . Adenike Sani , had left the car with Ayo at a car wash at the Apo Resettlement Centre, Abuja only for the attendant to disappear with the vehicle along with a Tecno phone belonging to a lady .
On getting the report of the theft , detectives were said to have tracked the vehicle to Oyo State where it was recovered and the suspect apprehended .
Ayo told punch on Monday that he stole the SUV to get back at the management of the car wash facility for planning to relieve him of his job.
“ I took the vehicle to get back at the owner of the car wash because he had asked another person to take over the facility ’ s management . I was afraid when I got to Lagos and I decided to bring back the vehicle, but I was stranded , ” he stated.
The 23-year - old said he conveyed four passengers to Lagos from Ibadan and charged them N 500 each to raise money to fuel the SUV.
Asked how he managed to beat the many security checkpoints on the highway , Ayo explained that he refused to stop when waved down by policemen .
“ Policemen stopped me about five times, but I refused to stop. Please forgive me , I will change. I will learn a skill and work , ” he pleaded as policemen laughed at him .
Manzah advised motorists against leaving their car keys with car wash attendants , noting that incidents of car theft were on the rise .