The suspects
The Upper East Regional Police Command has arrested some 34 suspected criminals from various hideouts in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, as part of the effort to clamp down on rampant robberies in the area and also deal with security threats in the Zebilla and Tilli forest zone in the district.
A joint police-military team upon intelligence carried out the operations to arrest the suspects who are believed to have undertaken various armed robbery operations in the district and other areas in the region.
The joint team raided the various hideouts and retrieved one gold detector and two motorbikes that are believed to have been snatched from victims.
Out of the 34 suspects, two have been identified as members of a five-man robbery group whose members are on the police wanted list in the region.
The Public Relations Officer of the Upper East Regional Police Command, ASP Okyere-Fianko, told the media that the joint police-military team acting on the intelligence from the Special Surveillance Team that, armed robberies on the Zebilla-Tilli road are perpetrated by some criminals acting as herdsmen along that road, pounced on the suspects.
According to the police, the hoodlums have been using their animals to intentionally across the road just to get motorists to stop, and the armed criminals will then rob victims in the process.
The Regional Police Command has assured the public, especially residents and commuters on the Bolgatanga -Bawku highway that the police in the region have put in place enhanced security measures including 24-hour patrols and snap check points for routine searches of vehicles.
The Regional Police Command called for greater collaboration between the police and the public, and urged the public to continuously provide timely information on criminals to enable the police to arrest them.
FROM Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga