4 excavator robbers grabbed

Four suspected armed robbers have been arrested by the Afienya District police for allegedly stealing an excavator at Ranna Motors Quarry at Shai Hills in the Greater Accra Region.

The suspects, are Isaac Kwesi Amoateng, 48, driver; Akwasi Ampofo, 37, driver’s mate; Francis Buaben, 36 and Charles Moiti, 25-year-old excavator operator who purportedly drove the vehicle onto a low-loader during the operation.

Apart from Charles Moiti, who is said to be a resident of Afienya in the Greater Accra Region, the rest are believed to be residing at Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

The allegedly gun-wielding gangsters were reported to have assaulted and gagged the security personnel at the quarry before embarking on their criminal operation.

Items such as 20 oil filters and coils of electric wires were stolen by the suspects before they seized three pump action guns being properties of the company.

Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori, Dodowa Divisional Police Commander, who confirmed the arrest to DAILY GUIDE, said the police had information that armed robbers, numbering about 10, had invaded the quarry and attacked security personnel at post.

The patrol team, he stated, responded to the call by rushing to the scene but by the time they got there the suspected criminals had bolted. Three of the security personnel on duty, he claimed, were found injured and were rushed to the Police Hospital in Accra for treatment.

Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori said investigations revealed that the excavator was put on a low-loader which was brought by the criminals.

Wireless messages, Chief Superintendent Ofori revealed, were quickly sent to all police stations in the country.

According to him, a few hours later, his outfit received information that an excavator on a low-loader had broken a police barrier and had been impounded at New Edubiase in the Adansi-South District of the Ashanti Region.

He said personnel were dispatched to the New Edubiase Police Station from where the suspects were brought to the Afienya District Police Headquarters for further investigations.

Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects wanted to send the excavator to a mining site at Obuasi for sale.

He said the suspects would be arraigned before a court of law after investigations had been completed.