KUMASI, Ghana — June 23, 2025 — Police in the Ashanti Region have arrested five suspected armed robbers believed to have orchestrated a series of thefts against bank customers who had just withdrawn large sums of money.
Between November 2024 and June this year, residents of Kumasi have been plagued by a spate of thefts in which their cash was stolen shortly after they left the bank and parked their cars. Police investigations show that the syndicate specifically targeted customers withdrawing significant amounts of money.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Emmanuel Teye Cudjoe, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, intelligence and surveillance operations led to a breakthrough that resulted in the arrest of five suspects.
Those in custody have been named as Russell Ekenze, 29, a taxi driver; Francis Friday, 49, a politician; Linus Agwazie, 51, a trader; Gifty Ozurumbam; and Gladys Ibrahim. Police say the gang, thought to be foreign nationals, used two Toyota Highlander SUVs to trail customers who had withdrawn large sums of cash. After identifying victims at the bank, they followed them and broke into their cars to steal the money. Police have impounded the two Toyota Highlander SUVs allegedly used in the crimes.
A total of GH¢497,000 was reportedly stolen in these incidents. Police say they are also pursuing the group’s accomplices, including a suspect named Cosmas Maduabuchukwu, who is currently at large.
Modus Operandi
According to DCOP Cudjoe, the suspects would monitor people as they withdrew money from the bank, and one of them would loiter around the bank premises and parking areas to pick targets. Once a victim was chosen, accomplices would trail them to their destination and strike when they left their vehicle unattended.
“Typically, the gang used master keys or force to gain access to parked cars,” DCOP Cudjoe explained. “That was how they successfully stole hundreds of thousands of cedis over the past eight months,” he added.
A Series of Thefts
Police provided a list of notable cases attributed to the group.
On November 15, 2024, thieves trailed a victim who had withdrawn GH¢107,000 at Ahodwo Roundabout and broke into his Toyota Camry while parked at the bank.
On March 18, 2025, another victim lost GH¢88,000 after withdrawing cash and leaving his car parked outside Obaa Yaa Chop Bar.
On March 19, 2025, GH¢22,000 was stolen from a Kia Sportage parked at the KNUST Hospital Emergency Unit after its owner visited the KNUST branch bank.
On March 24, 2025, a customer lost GH¢100,000 after withdrawing cash at KNUST branch and parking his car at Afrifa Junction in Ayeduase.
On April 9, 2025, GH¢95,000 was stolen from a Toyota Rav4 parked near a food joint at Tafo Pankrono after the victim visited the Suame branch of a bank.
On June 11, 2025, GH¢85,000 was taken from a car parked at the Suame branch after the victim was followed to Asawase market.
Arrests and Evidence
Police surveillance and intelligence gathering enabled officers to identify the two Toyota Highlander SUVs involved. On Thursday, June 19, 2025, at 10 a.m., a team from the Police Intelligence Directorate successfully arrested Russell Ekenze, Francis Friday, and Linus Agwazie. Police also retrieved a six-inch metallic tool believed to have been used as a master key in the thefts.
Meanwhile, a manhunt is underway to apprehend Cosmas Maduabuchukwu and other accomplices who remain at large.
Public Safety Advice
The Ashanti Regional Police have urged the public to remain cautious after withdrawing large sums of money and to avoid leaving cash in parked cars.