Police in Winneba averted what could have been a violent heist in the early hours of Friday, August 15, 2025, when suspected armed robbers attempted to break into the MRB Rural Bank. The swift action of the Anti-Armed Robbery Response Unit (AARU) prevented the gang from gaining access to the bank’s vault after an intense exchange of gunfire.
According to police reports, the incident began around 1 a.m. when the bank’s security alarm system was activated. A patrol team on night duty quickly responded to the alert, heading straight to the bank to investigate the unusual activity.
Upon arrival, the officers were immediately met with heavy gunfire from the armed group. A brief but fierce exchange of bullets followed, forcing the robbers to abandon their mission and flee into the darkness. The criminals are believed to have been about five in number.
In the aftermath of the shootout, police recovered a pump-action shotgun, an empty cartridge, and other implements the robbers left behind in their hurried escape. Preliminary investigations revealed that the gang had attempted to force their way into the bank’s vault but were thwarted by the timely intervention of the patrol team.
Authorities say the tactics used during this attempted robbery closely resemble those employed in a series of recent rural bank heists, leading investigators to suspect that the same group may be behind all the incidents. Intelligence gathered so far suggests the gang may currently be hiding in Kumasi, where a special AARU surveillance unit is already conducting operations to track them down.
Police have reassured residents of Winneba and nearby communities that they remain on high alert and are committed to dismantling the network of armed robbers terrorizing financial institutions in the region.
