Ondo Police Arrest Suspect Over Stolen Car, ₦100,000 Fuel Bill

By Atlantic Reports

The Ondo State Police Command says it has arrested a man accused of driving away from a filling station without paying for ₦100,000 worth of petrol and possessing a vehicle allegedly stolen from his employer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Tuesday in Akure.

He identified the suspect as Bamidele Rowell Lodi and said the vehicle and suspect remained in police custody while investigations continued.

According to Jimoh, police received a distress call at about 11:59 a.m. on Friday, October 9, from Akin Thomas in Epinmi, Akoko South-East Local Government Area.

Thomas reported that a motorist had bought Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, worth ₦100,000 and allegedly left without paying.

Jimoh said the suspect told investigators that he distracted the fuel attendant by asking him to fetch water before driving away. This account remains a police-reported statement.

Pursuit Leads to Arrest

The spokesperson said officers from Isua Division responded by mounting roadblocks and pursuing the vehicle.

According to the police account, the suspect diverted onto the Ise–Ikare Road after seeing officers, allegedly in an attempt to evade arrest.

Jimoh said the officers then coordinated with Nigerian Army personnel at a checkpoint in Auga, where the suspect was intercepted and arrested.

Chassis Number Links Vehicle to Theft Report

Police said subsequent enquiries indicated that the vehicle in the suspect’s possession had been reported stolen.

Investigators compared its chassis number with the number supplied for the vehicle suspected to have been stolen and found a match, Jimoh said.

He added that preliminary information indicated the suspect worked as a security guard for the vehicle’s owner in Port Harcourt and allegedly took the vehicle before fleeing.

Although police reported a matching chassis number, Jimoh said investigators still needed to verify ownership and establish the full circumstances of the alleged offences.

He said enquiries would also examine whether the suspect had any connection to other criminal activities. The statement provided no evidence establishing such a connection.

The allegations of vehicle theft and failure to pay for fuel remain under investigation. The police statement did not indicate that charges had been filed or that the suspect had appeared in court.

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