5 car snatchers busted

Four suspected car snatchers together with the suspected receiver of the stolen cars have been arrested by the Accra Regional police in a special operation in the capital city.

The suspects are David Agyeman, a 21-year-old senior high school leaver; Osman Sulemana, 24-year-old welder; Manford Kyei, 20, also a senior high school leaver and Jeffrey Nana Amoh, 20, a businessman, while Mohammed Abdulai is the suspected receiver of the stolen vehicles.

The Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, ACP Paul Ayitey, who briefed the media yesterday, said on November 11, 2016, Manford Kyei expressed interest in an unregistered Hyundai Elantra which had been displayed for sale, and contacted the owner.

After bargaining extensively, both parties agreed to meet in the owner’s house at Sakumono, near Tema, the following day (November 12, 2016) for inspection of the vehicle.

According to ACP Paul Ayitey, on that fateful day, after the inspection, Kyei requested the owner to let them take the vehicle to his (Kyei’s) mechanic at a shop near the Nungua barrier in Accra for a second scrutiny on the vehicle’s condition.

On arrival at the fitting shop of the supposed mechanic, ACP Paul Ayitey said two young men dressed like mechanics came to inspect the vehicle and pretending to be doing test driving, ended up bolting with the vehicle.

The victim (owner) immediately apprehended Kyei and later handed him over to the police.

While in custody, the suspect was said to have led the police to bust the other accomplices who acted as mechanics and ran away with the vehicle.

While investigations were ongoing, Kyei was said to have mentioned the name of Mohammed Abdulai, a businessman, as the person who received the stolen vehicle.

He claimed Mohammed was the person who often received the stolen items for sale; he was immediately apprehended.

The police officer said the vehicle was retrieved from Abdulai.

Police investigations led to the retrieval of two other vehicles purportedly stolen from other victims in earlier operations.

The vehicles were a Hyundai Elantra with registration number GR 62666-16 and a Toyota Corolla registered GT 6696-15.

Abdulai would be charged for dishonestly receiving stolen goods.

Efforts are being made to contact owners of the two other vehicles.

Meanwhile, the suspects are being prepared for court for prosecution.