Tema Regional Police arrest cars snatching syndicate

Tema, Sept. 30, GNA - The Tema Regional Police Command had arrested eight persons, suspected to be members of cars snatching syndicate within the municipality.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Daniel Odai, Regional Police Commander who disclosed this to newsmen at a briefing in Tema on Thursday, said apart from snatching cars, members of the syndicate were involved in other related violent crimes. ACP Odai told newsmen that on September 20, while returning to base after an operation at Agortor, a Police detachment from Ada intercepted five of the suspects in a taxicab at Dodoe-Kopey Junction, a few miles from Big Ada.

He gave the names of the five as Daniel Amankwaa, 23, drivers mate; Moses Otumfo Tetteh, 29, taxi driver; Samuel Ocloo, 24, driver's mate; Daniel Tulasi, 24, welder; and Erasmus Awuku, 21, student at the Tema Community Five Good Shepherd Technical School. The Tema Regional Police Commander said after searching the suspects and the vehicle, the Police highly suspected them to be on a criminal errand.

ACP Odai said this resulted in their detention and their consequent appearance at the Ada Magistrate Court on charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

He continued that a week later, on September 27, the Ada Police, acting on a tip-off arrested Bismark Asare, a 27-year-old driver in connection with a Nissan Urvan, which was parked at a workshop and suspected to have been stolen.

ACP Odai said Asare, upon interrogation, broke down and revealed that he and four others, namely, Tulasi, Awuku and two others, snatched the vehicle from its owner at Afienya near Michel Camp, and brought it to Ada to sell.

The Regional Commander said further Police interrogation led to the arrest of Teye Amoni, a 35-year old fitter from Kasseh, and Daniel Ofoe Agomeda, a 32-year old driver from Big Ada, who were assisting suspects to dispose of the stolen vehicle. ACP Odai said Police investigations were continuing after which the real owner of the Urvan would be identified, and to also ascertain whether its driver was alive or had been killed. He used the occasion to remind residents in the municipality that the war against criminals was on-going, and appealed for public assistance in the form of logistics.

ACP Odai reiterated the call on the people to furnish the Police with vital information on criminals in order for the Police to flush them out from the society. 30 Sept. 05