The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has cautioned the general public particularly prospective car buyers to take notice of a new strategy adopted by criminals to engage in car theft.
In a communique issued on Friday, the CID indicated that these criminal groups advertise the sale of cars on the internet having placed a tracking device in the car which is unknown to the buyer with their contact numbers attached to them and after prospective buyers have met, negotiated and parted ways with buyers, the criminals halt the movement of the car with their devices and outsmart the victims to steal the car from them
According to the CID these criminals mainly ply their activities within Tema and Accra and that they have recently recorded a number of cases in relation to the new strategy.
Below is the mode of operation by the syndicates as stated in the press statement.
MODUS OPERANDI OF AUTO THEFT SYNDICATE
-Syndicates advertise cars on the internet with a tracking device fixed in the car unknown to victims
-Victims after expression of interest negotiates for the price on phone through the contact number(s) provided in the advertisement
-Syndicate/ Suspect will arrange a meeting place for the collection of money and handling over of the said car, keys and documents to victim
-Whiles the victim drives away the car, the syndicate will track the car and halt the engine at a distance with a device in their custody, unknown to the victim. This will immobilize the car and necessitate victims to reach to suspects for a compliant and solution.
-Victim upon contacting the syndicate for solution, the lead person or the frontier to the deal will assure victim of proceeding and in some cases with a mechanic to check. The frontier would ask victim to meet them at a point as they cannot locate the actual place where the broken down vehicle is.
-In an attempt to meet the frontier or lead person halfway as directed, another group who tracked the car and knows the location will use a spare key already in their custody to move the said car away.
-Victim after fruitless effort to locate the supposed meeting place returns to the scene only to find out that the car has been taken away.
The rescued victims/children, per the press release, range between the ages of nine (9) and twelve (12) years and are currently placed under shelter and going through health screening and counselling.
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