In a stark warning to scrap dealers, Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Umar Abba, has declared that receiving stolen goods constitutes a graver crime than theft itself.
Addressing members of the Osun State branch of the Scrap Dealers Association during a meeting on Tuesday, CP Umar Abba underscored the growing menace of thefts, including the pilfering of household items, company assets, and government property, notably electricity cables, perpetuated by scavengers in the state.
In a statement issued after the meeting, CP Umar Abba stressed that the acceptance of stolen goods by scrap dealers exacerbates the theft crisis by providing a market for the criminals.
He asserted, “Receiving stolen goods is a more severe offense than theft because it directly fuels and perpetuates the crime. Without buyers, there would be no sellers.”
The CP expressed grave concern over recent incidents involving scavengers vandalising power cables, which could lead to significant disruptions in the power grid and potentially escalate into a national crisis.
He urged scrap dealers to implement robust verification processes to authenticate the goods they acquire and to report any suspicious individuals to the police.
Failure to adhere to these directives will result in frequent raids on their businesses and scrap yards, with all involved parties held accountable.
CP Umar Abba emphasised that collaboration with the police is crucial to combating theft, the receipt of stolen goods, and the vandalisation of power infrastructure, thus safeguarding the state.
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