By Desire Emmanuel
A 26-year-old Ghanaian has been arrested after he stole an armoured vehicle belonging to the Ghana Police Service at Nkawie in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti region, the Joy Online Newspaper of Ghana reported on Thursday, April 16.
The man, Ebenezer Frimpong, was apprehended during a chase by a combined SWAT team of seven police officers on the Abuakwa-Kumasi stretch.
According to a Ghana Police Service situational report, the incident occurred around 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15.
According to the report, a police driver, Lance Corporal Joshua Denkyi of the Formed Police Unit (FPU), was said to be taking the armoured vehicle with registration number, GP 1131, from Nkawie to the Regional Police Workshop in Kumasi for servicing.
It was gathered that the officer, upon reaching a spot near the Nkawie Market, parked the vehicle to buy medication from a nearby pharmacy, leaving the engine running in the process.
Frimpong, who was said to be passing by, reportedly jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off in the armoured vehicle, leaving bystanders and the officer in shock.
A call was immediately made by the officer, sparking an immediate response from the Ashanti Regional Command as a SWAT patrol team, led by Inspector Benjamin Nartey and comprised seven tactical officers, was dispatched to intercept the stolen vehicle.
The chase, which ended in 30 minutes at Mim, near Abuakwa, led to the arrest of Frimpong and the recovery of the armoured vehicle
Meanwhile, Frimpong has been transferred to the Ashanti Regional Criminal Investigations Department for further investigations and he is expected to be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation.
