26-year-old in custody over alleged theft of police armoured truck

A 26-year-old man is in police custody after allegedly attempting to steal a Ghana Police Service armoured vehicle in a dramatic daylight incident at Nkawie Market in the Ashanti Region.

The suspect, identified as Ebenezer Frimpong, is reported to have taken advantage of a brief lapse in security when the driver of the vehicle stepped out to buy medication, leaving the engine running.

According to a police situational report, the incident occurred at about 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, while a service driver, Lance Corporal Joshua Denkyi of the Formed Police Unit, was transporting the armoured vehicle from Nkawie to the Ashanti Regional Police Workshop in Kumasi for servicing.

Police say the officer parked briefly near the Nkawie Market and left the vehicle unattended while he entered a nearby pharmacy. Moments later, Frimpong allegedly entered the armoured vehicle and drove off at speed, leaving the officer and bystanders in shock.

A swift alarm triggered an immediate regional response, with a SWAT team deployed to track and intercept the stolen vehicle.

The pursuit, which covered the Nkawie–Abuakwa stretch, ended about 30 minutes later at Mim, near Abuakwa in the Kumasi enclave, where the suspect was arrested. The operation was led by Inspector Benjamin Nartey and involved seven tactical officers.

Police confirmed that the armoured vehicle has since been recovered and secured as an exhibit, while Frimpong is assisting with investigations.

He is currently in custody at the Abuakwa District Police Command and has since been transferred to the Ashanti Regional Criminal Investigations Department for further interrogation.