Armed Robbers Adopt New Tactics in Eastern Region

Chronicle further investigation about stealing and armed robbery has revealed that armed robbers and thieves have again changed their stile of operation in the Eastern Region.

This time around they pose as officials of public utility service companies going to serve bills to customers and then attack them.

It was learnt that they dress to look exactly as officers from Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ghana Water Company limited (GWCL) and other domestic providers and embark on operation.

These thieves and armed robbers knock on the doors of customers enjoying these utility services, announcing their presence of serving then with bills.

Whenever they are led in they pull their guns and demand for million of cedis, jewelry, and other valuables or suffer death.

Armed robbers and thieves have been changing their style of operations in the Eastern Region because of the proven smartness of the Police to control their activities. They started by going on high way robbery, changed to residential and car snatching operations.

When the police managed to effect some arrests of these thieves and armed robbers, they once again changed their style to removing of ceilings of stores and horns in residential areas and robbing such homes.

Currently their new adopted style of operation is posing as officials of aforementioned utility service companies going to serve bills to customers and then rob them of million of cedis and precious goods.

When contacted, the Eastern regional police commander ACP. R.E. Kyakye said they were aware that the armed robbers have changed their style of operations and that they have also adopted a system of operation to combat them.

ACP Kyakye sited an example where an armed robber posed as an ECG official going to serve bill to a customer in Koforidua managed to enter a house, pull a gun, and demanded for millions of cedis.

However, the regional police commander said when the striking force got to the house where the incident took place the robbers have succeeded in looting the house and bolted with their booty.

He appealed to the residents in the region to inform the police whenever they suspect persons or group of persons as armed robbers in their communities for effective arrest, prosecution and protection.

Chronicle learnt that 30 highway robberies, 26 residential robberies and five cars snatching took place last year.

As against, 17 high way robberies, 21 residential robberies and one car snatching incidents recorded so far for this year.

To put the situation under control the police have adopted a system whereby their officers go on twenty-four hour patrols on the high ways in communities and industrial areas to provide security to the people the Regional Police Commander hinted.

ACP Kwakye disclosed that in the first half of last year eight hundred and sixteen road accidents took place in the region as against six hundred and two in the first half of this year.

One hundred and one persons died in the accidents last year as against one 102 so far this year.

For those who suffered injuries was 806 last year as against 831 so far this year the regional commander further disclosed to the Chronicle.

Accordingly these accidents came about due to over speeding, overtaken, and over loading by commercial drivers who do not want to listen to advice (ACP) Kyakye urged passengers to report drivers who drive recklessly that may cause possible accidents to the nearest police station for them to prosecute to serve as deterrent to others.

He appealed to non-governmental organizations to assist them in accommodating officers and men of the service to enable them provide security service to the residents in the region all the time.