From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
A gang of mobile phone snatchers, operating in a white KIA Pride taxi in parts of the Kumasi metropolis, has succeeded in robbing a number of ladies of their mobile phones and money at gunpoint over the past three weeks.
Some of the victims, who spoke to The Mirror when they called at the Kumasi office last Tuesday, expressed concern about the mode of operation of the robbers and therefore appealed to the Kumasi Metropolitan Police Command to intensify their patrols in the evenings.
They also warned the travelling public to be wary when they see three young men as occupants in a white KIA Pride taxi, who speak Hausa and incoherent Akan, adding, “They entice passengers, especially women, and rob them at gunpoint in secluded areas in the Kumasi metropolis.”
They could, however, not recollect the registration number of the white KIA Pride, but were emphatic that “that particular taxi had been used to rob a number of women including the five of us”.
According to the ladies, the occupants in the taxi who were mostly three in number, enticed them to board the vehicle, and after taking them to a point in the course of the journey, they would pounce on them, assault them at gunpoint and rob them of their money, mobile phones and other valuables.
They added that immediately after robbing them, the robbers would temporarily blind their victims by rubbing ointment on their eyes before dumping them in a secluded area, then speed off.
The ladies made individual reports to the police after their ordeal but so far the police have not made any arrest.
Their spokesperson, a 33-year-old lady, Ms Georgina Smeldley, who is a secretary in one of the industries in Kumasi, told The Mirror that they were attacked in separate areas in Kumasi and at different times “but it seems they use the same vehicle and mode of operation”.
Elaborating, Ms Smedley said she in particular was attacked on Saturday, April 5, 2008 when she boarded a white KIA Pride taxi at the Timber Gardens in Kumasi.
“After boarding the taxi which already had three occupants including the driver around 6:15 p.m., I noticed that the driver locked the doors and instead of using the Atonsu road where I was going, the driver branched off the Kaase road. Just then the one at the front seat quickly jumped to the back seat to join his colleague and I was sandwiched between them before they assaulted me at gunpoint while the driver sped off”.
She said to prevent her from shouting to attract public attention or struggle with them, they pinned her head down, tied her hands and threatened to blow off her head if she dared make any noise.
Ms Smeldley said after succeeding in robbing her of her two mobile phones, GH¢400 and some personal items, they took out a hot ointment and rubbed it into her eyes to temporarily blind her before dumping her in an isolated area which she later identified as the outskirts of Kaase.
She said it was when she reported to the police after receiving medical care that she got to know that four other ladies had also been robbed using such a taxi with three young men who spoke Hausa and incoherent Akan.
“I managed to contact them and we decided to come here to warn the public, especially women, about the danger of boarding a white KIA Pride cab in the evening”.
The others corroborated her story and said they had also been robbed at gunpoint in different parts of Kumasi after they boarded the taxi.
They mentioned the outskirts of TUC, Santasi roundabout, Ahwodwo and Ahensan Estate as areas where they were dumped after their attackers had robbed them of their mobile phones, money and other valuables. They appealed to the police to intensify their patrols in the evenings to arrest the criminals.
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