The killed robbers and items retrieved from them
The Accra Regional police at dawn on Thursday killed three suspected armed robbers in a gun battle at Weija, Accra.
The deceased persons, identified only as Kwame Salsa, Jah Rule and Joe, according to the police, had been on their wanted list for the past months.
According to the police, the suspects attempted to snatch a police surveillance vehicle from the driver – who was among a team of plain cloth police officers dispatched to do an undercover operation at Weija Broadcasting junction – when the incident occurred.
Items found on them, according to the police, included locally manufactured pistols with nine rounds of BB cartridges, Browning pistol with 5 rounds of 9mm ammunition and five mobile phones, including Alcatel 3, Techno and an iPad.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP George Alex Mensah, who briefed the media, said the suspects had been under police surveillance for the past three months, said to be involved in most of the robberies and car snatching operations in and around Gbawe, Bortiano, Weija, Kokrobite and Kasoa.
He said the suspects, during their operations, had succeeded in snatching a number of vehicles; and the recent one being an attack on a victim where they succeeded in snatching his Range Rover.
Unfortunately for them, the suspects were not able to drive the vehicle, but ransacked it for valuable items and unspecified amount of money, after which the vehicle was abandoned, according to DCOP Alex Mensah.
An iPad that was stolen from the vehicle was found on them during the dawn shootout.
When the vehicle was snatched and some police personnel surfaced in another vehicle, the suspects instantly gave some warning shots but the law enforcers returned fire and two of the armed robbers were hit in the process.
The third person, identified as Salsa, fled the scene, but was traced to the Circle Koforidua Station.
He took to his feet, and the police fired at him with the aim of maiming him, but he bent down and in the process, the bullet hit the upper part of his body, leading to his death.
Meanwhile, the bodies have been deposited at the Police Hospital for autopsy.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey