Four suspects arrested in Asaba as police uncover alleged scheme involving shop thefts and altered phone IMEI numbers
The Delta State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of a phone-stealing syndicate and recovered nine brand-new Android phones allegedly stolen from retail shops in Asaba and surrounding areas.
The arrests followed a series of reports concerning the theft of mobile phones from shops in Asaba and its environs.
According to a statement issued by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, operatives of the Command, acting on credible intelligence and technical intelligence analysis, arrested the suspects on July 25, 2026, at their alleged hideout along St. Brigid’s Road, Asaba.
The suspects were identified as Johna Omarocha, Kelvin Onogho, Nkechi Nnaji and Ufuoma Joshua.
Police said a search of the hideout led to the recovery of nine brand-new Android phones still inside their cartons.
Preliminary investigation, according to the Command, indicates that the suspects allegedly operated as part of a syndicate targeting brand-new mobile phones in retail shops and supermarkets within Asaba and neighbouring areas.
The Police alleged that the suspects used a deceptive method to steal the phones.
According to the Command, members of the syndicate would reportedly enter shops or supermarkets pretending to be genuine customers interested in purchasing goods.
The Police said the suspects allegedly used newspapers to cover the phones inside the shops before removing them and leaving the premises without paying.
Investigators further alleged that the female member of the group played a role in transporting the stolen phones to Lagos through waybill services.
The Police said preliminary investigation revealed that the phones were allegedly taken to Lagos, where their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers were altered before the devices were eventually sold.
The alleged method has raised further concerns over the activities of organised phone theft networks, particularly the ability of criminals to move stolen devices from one state to another and attempt to make them difficult to trace.
The four suspects are currently in Police custody as investigators work to establish the full extent of the alleged operation.
The Command said the suspects have reportedly made confessional statements during preliminary investigation, although the allegations remain subject to further investigation and judicial determination.
Police operatives are also working to identify and locate the owners of the recovered phones.
The Command said efforts were ongoing to arrest other suspected members of the syndicate who are currently at large.
The investigation is expected to establish whether the suspects were connected to other reported cases of phone theft in Asaba and surrounding communities, as well as determine the full network involved in the alleged movement and resale of stolen devices.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to tackling robbery, stealing and other property-related crimes across the state.
He urged shop owners, supermarket operators and other business owners to remain security conscious, particularly when dealing with unfamiliar customers.
The Commissioner also called on members of the public to promptly report suspicious persons, movements or activities to the Police.
The latest arrests come days after the Delta State Police Command announced another major operation along the Agbarho–Warri Road, where two suspects were arrested and firearms, ammunition, suspected cocaine and other items were recovered.
The Command has continued to emphasise intelligence-led policing and public cooperation as key parts of its efforts to tackle criminal activities across Delta State.
For phone retailers and business operators, the Police advised increased vigilance around display areas and strict monitoring of customers handling expensive devices.
The recovery of the nine phones could also assist investigators in tracing the suspected victims and establishing where the devices were allegedly stolen.
The four suspects are expected to be charged before a competent court after the conclusion of investigation.
IBN News will continue to monitor the investigation and provide updates as verified information becomes available.
