The timely intervention of the police has saved four suspected shoplifters from jungle justice in the Surulere area of Lagos State.

The Police Public Relations Officers (PPRO) in Lagos, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

Hundeyin said that police from Surulere Division rescued Babatunde Ogunyemi, aged 48, Olatunde Ayinde, 50, Oludare Olusegun, 49 and Sunday Ebifega, 41 from a mob for allegedly shoplifting at a supermarket in Surulere.

He said that the suspects were rescued and thereafter arrested following the swift deployment of officers after a distress call from members of the community about the mob action.

“The syndicate had ventured into a supermarket and attempted to steal before they were caught.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were once captured on CCTV while shoplifting six bottles of Martell Blue swift cognac from the same supermarket.

“One of the suspects, Sunday, had been previously charged to court in 2021 for shoplifting,” he said.

The image maker said that the suspects would be arraigned at the conclusion of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Abiodun Alabi, commended residents of the state for always promptly alerting the authorities to suspicious persons and happenings.

The CP warned members of the public to desist from jungle justice as it was a crime in itself.