Attempted Bullion Van Robbery: We have intensified efforts to arrest perpetrators – Police

In a statement issued on Facebook, the Police explained that the event, which occurred around Industrial Area led to three people sustaining various degrees of injuries.

According to the police, the victims are currently responding to treatment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, following the indiscriminate shooting by the robbers.

Other officials, including a police officer, who were onboard the van were free from harm, the police said.

This, according to the statement is due to the fact that the armored bullion van was impenetrable.

In its update, the Police commended the official who salvaged the earlier situation and called on all financial institutions to use the recommended vehicles in transporting huge sums across board.

The Service on its Facebook page earlier announced that it foiled an attempted bullion van robbery at Industrial Area in Accra.

According to the police, further details on the incident will be “communicated by the Accra Regional Police Command in due course.”

“Any relevant information relating to the incident should be channeled through our Police Emergency numbers 18555 or 191,” the police said.

The attacks on bullion vans became rampant in the year 2021 with a number of injuries and deaths recorded.

As a result of the rampancy, soldiers were tasked to escort bullion vans to reduce the attacks.

Below is a breakdown of bullion attacks recorded in the first half of the year 2021;

January

• On January 18, some highway robbers numbering about 10, attacked a bullion van travelling on a section of the Adansi Fomena road in the Ashanti Region and an amount of GHC500,000 was stolen.
• Sources indicate that the van, with registration number GT 543-19, was attacked around 10:30 AM on the Adansi Fomena Road.
• The driver of the vehicle survived while the police officer escorting the van was killed. His AK47 assault rifle was stolen.

March

• In broad day light on March 1, a bullion van belonging to a popular bank was robbed on the Spintex Road at Baatsona near the Danpong Hospital by some armed men numbering about 4 according to eyewitnesses.
• Sources say that the incident happened around 3:30 PM.
• Around the said time, a Black Toyota Camry overtook the van and blocked its way. An occupant of the Camry immediately came down and gave a warning shot into the air.
• The driver of the bullion van and one official from the bank escaped while the escorting police officer was assaulted by the robbers.
• The robbers broke into the van and escaped with the money.

June

• The month of June also recorded two bullion van attacks in a span of 3 days.
• The first incident happened on June 14. A bullion van was attacked at Adedenkpo near James Town in Accra.
• A young police officer escorting the van and a woman were killed. The driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries and the robbers bolted with the money.
• The second attack happened on June 17. Passengers in a bullion van with registration number GN 6956- 17 were attacked on the Winneba-Accra highway.
• The unknown assailants shot at the van at the Okyereko and Dominase portion of the Winneba-Accra stretch.
• Aside the driver, the van was occupied by two policemen with an amount of ¢550,000 on board.
• Fortunately for them, they escaped the gunshots and were rescued by the Winneba Divisional Police who escorted them back to Accra.

The robberies continued in the month of October 2021 in Tarkwa in the Western Region. The content of the bullion van was robbed by two armed men amidst sporadic shooting.

According to the state-owned newspaper Daily Graphic, over ¢107,000 being carried on the bullion van, was robbed in front of a supermarket in the centre of town.

There were no casualties as the robbers reportedly took the money without any resistance.