Kumasi police arrests car snatching syndicate

Kumasi, June 6, GNA - The Kumasi police have arrested three members of a car snatching syndicate who operated on the Kumasi-Techiman highway.

The three -- Joseph Magay, a 52-year-old Sierra Leonean, Alidu Mohammed, a 27-year-old butcher at "Mayanka" and Sumaila Malik, a 22-year-old petty trader -- are all ex-convicts.

They were arrested on the Abofour-Kyekyewere road when they attempted to snatch a taxicab from its driver on June 2, this year. The three on May 2, this year, snatched another taxicab from its driver at the same spot. The police are yet to retrieve that car. Briefing the media in Kumasi on Monday, ACP Frank Adu Poku, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, said on June 2, this year, at about 0800 hours, the three, who posed as a driver and auto mechanics, hired the taxicab bearing registration number AS 4249 U from Kumasi and told the driver that, their articulated truck had developed a mechanical fault at Abofour, so he should convey them to the spot to enable them fix the faulty vehicle.

He said the taxi driver agreed and charged them 300,000 cedis. ACP Adu Poku said on reaching Abofour, they asked the driver to branch on the Kyekyewere road.

Shortly Alidu, who was the ringleader, intentionally dropped a cap he was wearing off the moving vehicle and asked the driver to stop for him to pick it up.

Immediately the car stopped, Malik pulled a rope and attempted to tie the neck of the taxi driver.

Mr Adu Poku said the taxi driver saw it and dodged the rope, got out of the vehicle and took to his heels.

He said Alidu took over the vehicle and attempted to drive back to Kumasi but the vehicle ran into a ditch.

Mr Adu Poku said based on a report lodged by the driver of the taxi who had fled earlier, the three suspects arrested in a nearby bush. The Regional Police chief described the suspects as experts in car snatching, adding that they had previously snatched another taxi from its driver on the same road and sold it.