CAR THEFT: Desist From Leaving ‘Parking-Permit’ In The Car At Stadium, Others, Motorists Urged

Motorists who freely leave behind the ‘Car Parking Permit’ inside the cars in various public places have been urged to desist from such as it is believed to be a major contributory factor to the incessant loss of cars packed in their custodies.

Security personnel issued this warning during our further investigation over the weekend in respect of the high rate of cars lost recently particularly at the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos, which worrisomely became a weekly affair especially during the weekends despite the gate fees paid for the security of the cars by its owners. The personnel who spoke to Pinnacle InfoGallery on the condition of anonymity however regretted the development, nevertheless insisted that the security officers on duty cannot be blamed over a loss where a driver produces a ‘Parking permit’ which evidences his responsibility of any car and therefore allowed to exit.

He added that the ‘Parking permit’ is the only tool the security personnel use to ascertain the owner of cars drove into the venue stating that it lacks powers to ask for vehicle particulars except where there is substantial suspicion.

It would be recalled that stealing of cars in the National Stadium in Lagos grew rapidly in the past two months with a record of about twenty-five cars stolen. According to reports, the cars predominantly range from Toyota to Honda and other Japanese brands.

From our further investigation, most of the victims came for athletics and the ‘Car Entry Permit’ given to them were left in the car for safety purposes on account that most sports wears do not have pockets and above all, to avoid losing it during exercises.  Hence, the criminals sensing that reasonably, the ‘Entry permits’ would likely be in the cars to avoid loss on the track usually took advantage of that to break into the cars and drove off, sadly making use of the ‘Entry Permit’ given to the rightful owners to disappear to unknown destinations.

Equally, when our team visited Area ‘C’ Police Headquarters, the officers who spoke albeit on personal ground confirmed that car theft in the stadium has become a weekly occurrence adding that 2 Honda CRV and a Toyota Camry cars were reported stolen in the past two weeks at the stadium.

One of the victims who lost a Honda CRV two weeks ago narrated how he parked his car carefully locked only to discover after about an hour he spent on athletics in the stadium that the car had been moved away from its parking point to unknown location.