Vehicle thieves have turned attention to Umuahia, Abia State capital, where they recently dispossessed some residents of their cars.
For example, a Toyota Corolla car belonging to a Magistrate, Ngozi Lekwa, of Court 2 in Umuahia, was stolen recently.
Reports said that the vehicle was stolen on Tuesday from where it was parked outside the court premises along Finbars Road in Umuahia.
The judicial officer had reportedly parked the car to “handle a brief official duty”, but when she returned, the vehicle had literally vanished from the spot in broad daylight.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Abia State Police Command, DSP Maureen Chinaka, said the case has been reported to the police, stressing that investigations are ongoing to recover the car and apprehend the thieves.
In a related development, a Toyota Sienna car belonging to the wife of the traditional ruler of Nkpa community in Bende LGA, G.N. Izuwa, was on Sunday, stolen at the Assemblies of God Church, Umuahia by unknown persons.
The vehicle was taken away from No. 5-8 Item Street, Umuahia, when the monarch’s wife, who came to church in the car, was still worshipping.
Earlier, the Abia State correspondent of Vanguard newspaper, Steve Oko’s black Toyota Camry car, was stolen in front of his residence at Uwalaka Street, and has yet to be found or recovered.