Seven days after a customer absconded with a Mercedes Benz GLB 250 worth N55m in the Federal Capital Territory, men of the Nigerian Police Force detailed to investigate the case have recovered the stolen vehicle in the Ughelli North Local Government Area Delta State.

The owner of the vehicle, Mohammed Manga, who confirmed the development to our correspondent, said the suspect, one Henry, who absconded with the vehicle, was still at large.

He said, “It, (the car) has been found today in Delta State. The car is with the police. It is the Commissioner of Police, Asaba, and his team that made the recovery. They are on the search for the suspect.”

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Wale Abbas, during a press briefing on Wednesday, confirmed the recovery of the vehicle and noted that a manhunt had been for the fleeing suspect.

The CP said, “Sequel to a complaint received on July 3, 2023, around 5pm from a car dealer in Abuja whose vehicle was stolen from his car stand by the suspect who disguised as intending buyer and absconded with the said vehicle during a test drive on June 30, 2023, in Abuja.

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“Armed with available intelligence, operatives of the CP-Decoy Squad stormed Ughelli town around 1.15am on July 3, 2023, and recovered the said Mercedes Benz SUV abandoned in a bush along Oteri road by Doctors Quarters, Ughelli North LGA. Serious manhunt for the suspect is ongoing.”

Prior to his request to test drive the vehicle, Manga told our correspondent that Henry approached his friend and requested to purchase the car.

After agreeing to purchase the vehicle for N55m, Henry, while in the company of Manga’s friend who sat on the driver’s side during the test drive, drove into a filling station to refuel the vehicle.

While in the filling station, Manga said his friend stepped down to make a cash withdrawal from a Point of Sale operator and Henry, who was left alone in the car, zoomed off with the vehicle.

When efforts to locate Henry’s whereabouts proved abortive, Manga said he reported that case to the Anti-Car Theft Unit of the FCT Police Command.