The Ghana Police Service has arrested five people over a taxi phone snatching ring that preyed on passengers, mainly women, across Accra and nearby towns.
The Director of Police Operations, DCOP Theodore Hlormenu, said at a press briefing on January 13, 2026, that three main suspects were arrested on January 12, after intelligence-led operations.
They are Selassie Lawrence, also called Abe, 45, Richard Osei, 36, and Charles Kofi Nti, known as Survivor, 40.
Two alleged receivers of stolen phones were also picked up. They are John William Ampon, also known as Willie, 47, who operates at Circle, and Frederick Berko, 30, a phone dealer at Atomic.
DCOP Hlormenu said the group worked mainly in the mornings, posing as commercial taxi drivers. He said two of the suspects sat in front while one sat at the back.
“The doors are locked so the passenger cannot get out easily. While the victim struggles with the door, the suspect at the back takes the phone or wallet,” DCOP Hlormenu said.
The case started with a complaint filed on November 17, 2025, by a woman who said she boarded a taxi from Madina to Adenta Aviation. When the vehicle got to her destination, the occupants took her iPhone 14 and told her to get out.
Police said intelligence work and technical surveillance later traced a black and yellow Toyota Vitz used by the suspects. Their movements and hideouts were tracked in Kasoa, Taifa, Kwashieman, Amasaman and nearby areas.
On January 12, 2026, the vehicle was picked up through the surveillance system and stopped at Awoshie.
Operations later the same day at Kwashieman and Achimota led to the arrest of Mr Osei after he tried to run away. A green and yellow Matiz linked to the group was also retrieved.
The team later moved to Dome, where Mr Nti was found hiding in a room in a house and was arrested after a search.
All three main suspects are in police custody and are assisting with investigations.
DCOP Hlormenu urged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to the police as the service continues its work against crime.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
