Police recover two stolen vehicles in Kano, arrest suspect

The Kano State Police Command has recovered two stolen vehicles linked to separate theft cases and arrested one suspect as part of ongoing intelligence-led operations targeting vehicle theft syndicates.

The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, saying the recoveries were made by operatives of the Special Intervention Squad under the Inspector-General of Police’s intelligence-led and community-centred policing strategy.

According to the statement, one of the recovered vehicles, a white Toyota Hilux with registration number KMC 25, was stolen on July 26 after it was parked along Lamido Crescent in Tarauni Local Government Area of Kano State.

The vehicle’s owner, Zaiyyad Farouk of Hotoro Quarters, had reported that his driver parked the vehicle around 10:35 p.m., but it was missing when he returned.

Following the report, SIS operatives launched an investigation, tracked the vehicle and recovered it from Abdussalam Salisu of Kurna Asabe Quarters, Kano.

The police said the vehicle had since been handed over to its rightful owner after proper verification, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend another fleeing suspect and other accomplices connected to the theft.

In a separate operation, the command recovered a black Hyundai Elantra stolen on July 10 from the premises of Annur Mosque in Abuja.

The statement said intelligence gathered by the police led operatives to Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State, where the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on sighting security operatives during a coordinated operation on July 22.

Preliminary investigation linked the suspects to an interstate vehicle theft syndicate allegedly operating across Abuja, Kaduna and Kano states.

The police added that the recovered Hyundai Elantra was being processed for handover to its owner in Abuja, while efforts had been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects, apprehend their receivers and recover additional exhibits.

Commending the operatives, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, Ibrahim Bakori, praised members of the Special Intervention Squad for their professionalism and swift response, which led to the recovery of the vehicles and the arrest of a suspect.

“The dedication and professionalism displayed by our officers in these operations reflect the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property across Kano State,” Bakori said.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to proactive and intelligence-driven policing, assuring residents that fleeing suspects would be apprehended.

“We will continue to pursue all fleeing suspects and ensure they are brought to justice in accordance with the law. Criminals have no hiding place, and we remain resolute in dismantling all criminal networks operating within and outside the state,” the commissioner said.

Bakori also urged members of the public to strengthen security around their vehicles and support the police with timely and credible information.

“We appeal to residents to properly secure their vehicles and promptly report suspicious movements or activities. Public support remains critical to our efforts to prevent crime and improve security across the state,” he added.