Photo: Taxi Girl Thief Nabbed

THE Mode of operation of a 24-year-old lady and two of her accomplices specialized in robbing passengers came to light last Thursday as two of them were arrested by the police. Suspect Helena Esseil, together with Isaac Omani Yaw, a 36-year-old taxi driver now in police custody and Serwaa Akoto, was arrested around 8:30am when they robbed a lady of her purse and other valuables on board a taxi in Accra. Suspect Serwaa Akoto however managed to escape.The method, as revealed to Daily Guide by the police, revealed that the suspects posed as passengers and joined the same vehicle their victims did. Upon reaching the destination of the victims, the driver would intentionally lock the doors and ask the passenger to open the door from the back. In an attempt to open the door, one of the suspects would quickly open the victim�s bag and pick valuable items that they chanced on. The suspects would then speed off after their victims got down. Narrating how suspect Helena Esseil and her accomplices were arrested, the Adenta District Police Commander, Stephen Ahiatafu, said the two ladies boarded a taxi with registration number GS 5587-09, driven by suspect Isaac Omani from Ashaley Botwe to Manjor near Adenta, with the victim. Upon reaching Manjor, the victim asked that the taxi stop for her to alight.When she attempted to get out of the taxi, the doors where locked so the driver asked her to open from outside. In an attempt to open the door from the back, suspect Helena Esseil immediately opened the victim�s bag and took her purse containing some amount of money, her mobile phone and other valuables. The driver immediately sped off without collecting his fare. The victim, upon realizing that her purse and mobile phone had been stolen, hinted passers-by and other drivers who gave the suspects a hot chase. Serwaa Akoto bolted with the booty while Helena Esseil and Isaac Omani Yaw were arrested and beaten by passers-by.They were later handed over to the police. The Adenta District Commander said the two admitted to committing the offence in their caution statement, adding that they normally met at Achimota overhead to embark on their operations. The police boss cautioned the public to be cautious of the new trend of criminals nationwide.