Four men and a woman, who allegedly stole 495 cartons of women shoes and bags valued at N37.6 million, were on Tuesday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

They were, however, released on N300,000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum.

The accused — Kareem Jimoh:32; Blessing Adeyeye: 23; Jamie Yusuf: 27; Roselen Owunume: 50; and Mutairu Olugbade, 34, —  are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, housebreaking, receiving stolen properties and stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp. Roman Unuigbe told the court that the accused with others still at large committed the offences on Jan. 9 and Jan. 14 at No. 6, Davies St., Lagos Island.

According to Unuigbe, the first, second and third accused broke into the shops of the complainants — Song Guohu, Ngozi Ezeh and Lydia Ying — and stole 495 cartons of shoes worth N37.6 million.

He said the fourth and fifth accused, knowing full well that the items were stolen, received seven cartons of the 495 cartons of shoes estimated at N445,200.

The accused were apprehended while waiting for the arrival of receivers of their stolen items following a tip-off, he said.

The offences contravened Sections 287 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr P.A. Ojo, who gave the ruling, said the sureties must be a landlord in Lagos and  a blood relation of the accused as well as produce their up-to-date bank statements.

The case has been adjourned until April 24 for mention.