Two accomplices of thieves, Stephen Bannerman and his friend known as Kwasi have been jailed for their role as ‘caretakers’ of stolen items.

Speaking to crimecheckghana.org, the main accomplice, Bannerman said his room was a safe haven for stolen items for his criminal colleagues when they succeed in stealing operations.

According to him, the act has been going on until greediness took over Kwasi whom he lived with after seeing tins of sardines, noodles, and a host of groceries.

Narrating the end of their activities, Bannerman said a colleague brought him some food items wrapped in a poly bag for safekeeping.

He indicated that he notified Kwasi of the goods so that he would also keep an eye on the items.

But Kwasi clandestinely took the items and kept them to himself “and told me he did not know the whereabouts of the goods when I realized it was missing,” Bannerman said.

Bannerman said the incident sparked an altercation between them to the hearing of neighbours.

This he said gave a clue to the neighbours making it easier for the victim of the stolen items to track them.

“The owner came around asking the neighbours and they told her they overheard us quarreling over some stolen items,” he recounted.

The main suspect said the victim confronted Kwasi who gave them out after handing over the goods to the woman.

They were later arrested and put before Court.

According to Bannerman, he pleaded guilty in Court and was fined One Thousand Five Ghana cedis, which he defaulted resulting in his imprisonment.

Kwasi, he said was not fined but was jailed for three years.

Crime Check Foundation (CCF) took the implementation of its Petty Offenders project during a visit to the Ankaful Main Camp Prison where they met Bannerman.

After interacting with him, CCF paid his fine for his release through the support of a US-based donor, Sarah Tawiah.

The Petty Offenders project

Crime Check Foundation is helping to decongest the prisons through the release of petty offenders. Hundreds of such offenders have been released under the implementation of the programme.