Police kill 5 robbery suspects in a shootout

Five suspected robbers were shot dead on the Tema Motorway after their planned robbery operation had been foiled by the police.

The suspected robbers who allegedly engaged the police in a shoot-out were part of a 15-member gang that was on a robbery mission with three vehicles, including a Sprinter benz bus.

Four of those shot by the police have been identified only as Habib, Paa, Baby Jet and Birdman, while the fifth body could not be identified.

Items retrieved from them included two locally manufactured pistols, a foreign pistol loaded with four rounds of ammunition, nine rounds of AA cartridges, one heavy duty cutter, three knives, two machetes and talismans.

Surveillance

Briefing journalists in Accra, the Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr George Alex Mensah, said the command received information at about 1: 20 a.m. yesterday that 15 suspected robbers had planned to embark on a robbery spree in Accra and Kasoa on the dawn of April 5, 2018.

He said the police intelligence team came out with strategy to thwart the agenda of the suspected robbers and, therefore, mounted surveillance on their intended operation.

Mr Mensah said the police tried to pull over three vehicles which were carrying the suspects but they refused to stop and started firing indiscriminately.

The vehicles comprised two saloon cars, an unregistered Pontiac Vibe taxi and a Toyota Corolla cab, with registration number GT 3036-17, as well as a white Sprinter  Benz bus, with registration number WR 1596 X.

After calling for reinforcement, Mr Mensah stated, the police pursued the suspected robbers and engaged them in an exchange of fire until the Sprinter bus and the Toyota Corolla taxi were overpowered at the Accra end of the Tema Motorway tollbooth.

The Pontiac Vibe managed to escape with some of the suspected robbers on board, while others fled on foot.

Bodies

A police surveillance vehicle was hit by some bullets fired by the suspected robbers, however,  no member of the police team on board the vehicle was injured.

Mr Mensah said the suspected robbers were believed to be connected to a number of robberies that had occurred in Accra, especially the recent attacks on the forex bureaux.

He also believed the suspects who escaped might have sustained gunshot wounds and might visit medical facilities, herbal centres or traditionalists to seek treatment.

He, therefore, appealed to the public to report any strange wounded person seeking  treatment at any of these medical facilities to the police.

“The public should not hesitate to report persons with such wounds within their communities to the police,” he emphasised.