Police arrest notorious serial phone thief targeting women

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Kano State Police Command announced the arrest of 27-year-old Mohammed Usman, a serial phone thief from Kofar Wambai Quarters, who deceived women by pretending to offer government assistance before stealing their phones.

Usman according to a statement obtained from the command on Saturday, was apprehended on July 14, 2025, after a woman reported that he called her with a fake offer of government help and then stole her phone. Following this, 17 additional victims came forward with similar complaints.

The police revealed Usman is an ex-convict who had served two years for a similar offense and has now been detained at the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department.

Alongside Usman, three suspected buyers of the stolen phones were also arrested, and eight phones were recovered.

Kano State Police Commissioner Ibrahim Adamu Bakori emphasised, “We urge the public to be cautious and report any similar incidents,” highlighting the need for vigilance against such scams.

The Command encourages victims of similar crimes to come forward and assist with ongoing investigations.