Taxi and Uber drivers in Tema have been advised to be on the alert as carjackings are reportedly on the rise in the city.
The Tema Community One District Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police, Stephen Kwesi Kwakye said at least two cars are reported to have been snatched in the last few weeks.
Chief Supt. Kwakye told the Ghana News Agency that the said car snatchers would normally tell the drivers that they want to continue the journey despite reaching their original destination.
He added that the criminals would keep their composure until they reached a secluded area where they would spray powdered pepper in the face of the victim, push them out of the car and speed out of the Tema area.
According to him, his outfit recently arraigned one Kwame Kontor together with his accomplice “Condemned” over recent carjackings.
They allegedly came to Tema from Agona Swedru in the Central Region with the intent of snatching a car, an attempt in which they succeeded after hailing a Toyota Yaris Taxi at Sakumono and attacking the driver upon reaching ALUWORKS in the Tema Heavy Industrial Area.
He added that Kontor was remanded into police custody to reappear in court on February 5, while “Condemned’ was being held by the Oda police for his involvement in another car snatching case.
He also disclosed that the syndicate had another strategy where in the course of the journey, they would invite the driver to join them to have a drink at a spot, where they would spike the driver’s drink.
The Community One District Commander said two of such cases had been recorded at Tema Community Eight Police Station and therefore cautioned drivers against accepting such offers from passengers as that could cost them their vehicles as well as their health.
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Source: GNA