Three armed robbers killed in gun battle

Tema, Nov. 11, GNA -- Three armed robbers alleged to be terrorising residents in the Tema municipality were on last Wednesday killed in a police cum military gun battle at the Presbyterian junction on the Ashaiman-Zenu road.

Two others, Christopher Nanor 26, taxi driver and Abdul Karim 20 a Malian suspected to be accomplices have been placed in custody while the taxi Opel Astra Caravan with registration number GT 5993 U used in the operation has been impounded.

A release signed by Chief Inspector Yaw Nketia-Yeboah, Tema Regional Public Affairs Officer said the police had received several reports that some robbers had been terrorising residents in the municipality and had mounted surveillance on them. It said on Wednesday nine, the police had information that some robbers were in a hired taxi going on robbery operation in Appollonia, Oyibi and surroundings villages.

The release said the team rushed to the scene but when the robbers saw them approaching they attempted to escape, but realizing that they could not do so, they started shooting, while the police team returned fire.

They were engaged in a 30 minutes gun battle and in the process three of the armed robbers were gunned down, while the driver Nanor and Karim were arrested.

It stated that items retrieved from a bag from them were two foreign manufactured butt altered SB shot guns, one locally made pistol, a cutlass, mask, eleven cartridge shells, 25 pieces of live "AA" cartridges, some talisman and driving licence in the name of Nanor. A quantity of whitish powdered substance used by the robbers to poison domestic dogs to enable them gain quick and easy access of attacking their victims.

Meanwhile, the Tema Regional Police Affairs Unit has appealed to the general public to report any strange or suspicious movements of people giving the assurance that such information would be confidential. The Unit asked the public to desist from harbouring criminals or offering herbal or orthodox medical treatment to wounded armed robbers or criminals saying that such act constitute to criminal offence which attracted punishment.