Five (5) people who are thought to be members of a criminal gang that steals significant quantities of money from parked cars throughout the region have been taken into custody by the Ashanti Regional Police Command.
The police said that the group uses two vehicles and deliberately targets those who have just taken out large sums of money from banks.
The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Emmanuel Teye Cudjoe, gave information during a press conference on Monday, June 23 at the Regional Police Headquarters. He said that the suspects usually park one car near a bank while a group member walks around to look for a possible victim.
When a target is located, the spotter notifies accomplices who are waiting nearby in a different vehicle. After following the victim until they leave their car unsecured, they attack and take the money.
The thieves hit the targeted automobile with a particular object to pry it open from the inside, took the money out, and then fled in the second car to avoid being caught.
According to DCOP Cudjoe, five people who were arrested as a result of investigations have admitted to being a part of a bigger criminal network.
Among the accused are Linus Agwazie, 51, a merchant; Francis Friday, 49, a politician; and Russell Ekenze, 29, a taxi driver. According to the police, all five are citizens of Nigeria.
Additionally, two ladies, Gifty Ozurumbam and Gladys Ibrahim, were taken into custody on suspicion of hiding the location of Cosmas Maduabuchukwu, one of the main suspects. According to reports, Cosmas, who was shot during an attempted arrest, took sanctuary at the two women’s drinking establishment at Kenyanase.
Since then, police have seized two cars they believe were involved in the illegal activity: a black Toyota Highlander with registration number GX 7124-12 and a gold Toyota Highlander with registration number GT 2471-14. Both cars had fictitious license plates.
Police are working to capture every member of the syndicate, DCOP Cudjoe reassured the people.
“One of the key suspects, Cosmas Maduabuchukwu, sustained a gunshot wound during an attempted arrest and managed to flee. Intelligence data revealed that he sought refuge at a drinking bar in Kenyanase owned by Gifty Ozurumbam and Gladys Ibrahim. These two individuals have since been arrested for obstructing police investigations by failing to disclose the whereabouts of the suspect,” he stated.
In a similar development, Williams Ofori Atta, 29, was taken into custody by the Nkawie Divisional Police Command in Kukuom, Ahafo Region. He is charged with the murder of Emmanuel Kwabena Boakye, age 28.
The suspect allegedly admitted to shooting and killing the victim while being questioned. As part of the ongoing inquiry, a cell phone that is thought to have belonged to the deceased has been recovered from him.
Source: newsthemegh.com