Yesterday, Ogun State Police Command recovered a stolen 2016 Toyota Camry drven to Ogun State border town, Ifo by a newly employed driver, Waidi Olaide Kolawale.
Kolawale had been employed just two days before the incident by his employer, an Indian national based at the Ilupeju Industrial Estate in Lagos State. According to the Command, the driver told his employer that he wanted to take the vehicle to a nearby vulcaniser to repair one of its tyres. He allegedly drove away the vehicle and did not return.
Thankfully, the swift response of operatives of the Ogun State Police Command led to the vehicle being electronically tracked to a hotel in Ifo. The information was subsequently relayed to the Divisional Police Officer in the area, who deployed operatives to the location. Kolawale, however, reportedly escaped after getting wind of the police operation, while his alleged accomplice was arrested.
Further investigation revealed an even more disturbing detail. Police said the suspect had previously taken the vehicle to a mechanic in an alleged attempt to remove its catalytic converter. The mechanic reportedly refused to participate in the deal.
The incident highlights a worrying trend in which newly employed drivers allegedly abscond with their employers’ vehicles within days, or sometimes weeks, of securing employment.
In February 2026, in Lekki, Olunowo Olumide Ogunyemi allegedly absconded with his employer’s high-end Lexus GX460. The incident occurred three weeks after he was employed, when his employer made a brief stop to visit a friend in the Lekki area of Lagos. Ogunyemi allegedly seized the opportunity to drive away with the vehicle and went on the run before he was eventually tracked down by the police.
In another case in July 2026, the Ondo State Police Command tracked and arrested Adesola Ogunrotifa, 40, in Abuja after he allegedly absconded with his employer’s Hyundai saloon car. The suspect had reportedly dropped his employer at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun, Akure, for a church service before allegedly driving away with the vehicle.
These incidents, among several others, should serve as a warning to vehicle owners and employers who require the services of drivers. While trust remains important in any employment relationship, it should not replace proper background checks and other precautionary measures.
As recommended by the Ogun State Police Command, vehicle owners should consider using reliable tracking devices, obtaining guarantors, conduct thorough background checks and adopt additional anti-theft measures.
“Members of the public are also advised to be discerning about who they entrust with their vehicles, property and access to their homes or businesses, as trust should be accompanied by due diligence,” the Command urged.
The lesson is simple: trust, but verify. Employers must take reasonable steps to establish who they are putting behind the wheel, while vehicle owners should combine vigilance with practical security measures.
Before you hand over the keys, know the person receiving them. Behind every steering wheel is a responsibility that should never be entrusted to chance. In the end, a little caution today can save a fortune, and a heart break tomorrow.
Femi Moliki writes from Lagos
