Police arrest driver for stealing employer’s laptop, demanding ransom

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Lagos Police Command under the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad have apprehended a 30-year-old driver, Kelechi Jeffrey, who absconded with his employer’s laptop after abandoning her vehicle in the Ikeja area of Lagos State.

The arrest occurred on Sunday, following a week-long investigation that led to his capture in Ikorodu.

This was revealed in a statement by RRS on Tuesday.

It reads, “The incident began on Tuesday when Jeffrey, who was hired in August, drove his boss to her office near Alausa Central Business District, Ikeja. Rather than returning as scheduled, Jeffrey reportedly left the vehicle with the key before fleeing with his boss’s HP EliteBook laptop. The device contained crucial official and personal information.

“Investigations revealed that Jeffrey quickly sold the laptop at Computer Village, Ikeja for N120,000.

“In an apparent ploy to buy time, he allegedly told his boss he would return the laptop upon receipt of a N100,000 ransom.”

RRS stated that after the payment was transferred to his account, he became unreachable and switched off his mobile phone.

Following sustained efforts, RRS operatives traced the laptop to a buyer in Computer Village, where it was recovered on Monday, stating that the laptop had been formatted.

“Although the laptop had been formatted, police officials stated they would attempt to retrieve any remaining data,” it added.

Commander of the RRS, CSP Shola Jejeloye, confirmed the suspect’s imminent court appearance, underscoring a commitment to swift justice in cases of employee misconduct.

“Jeffrey is set to face prosecution as police authorities finalise charges in the coming days,” the statement stated.