Elmina (Central Region), 24th June 99 ?

A policeman on duty at a petrol filling station on the Cape Coast-Elmina road was wounded in the left arm when a group of five armed robbers attacked the station in the early hours of Tuesday.

The robbers succeeded in taking away his "AK 47" rifle loaded with five rounds of ammunition.

A watchman who was guarding the premises with the policeman had severe beatings before he escaped.

The Central regional police commander, Mr Jossie Bossman Amofa, who disclosed this to newsmen in Cape Coast, said the policeman is on admission at the Cape Coast central hospital where he is reported to be doing well.

Narrating the incident, Mr Amofa said the watchman heard an unusual noise at dawn and shouted for help.

He said the policeman, Constable Osei Tutu, who had taken cover, came out to assist but he was suddenly attacked by two of the robbers followed by the rest who were wielding weapons.

Constable Osei Tutu managed to run to a nearby petrol filling station where another policeman was on guard duty.

The commander said the armed men left the scene without breaking into the offices of the station where the attendants had locked up themselves in the room.

He said the attendants could not telephone outside for assistance because the manager had locked the telephone.

Mr Amofa said the police have intensified patrols between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. and appealed to the public to report people whose movements are suspicious to the police.

He called on petrol filling station managers to strengthen their security since the police cannot afford to attach two or three policemen to each filling station in the region.

In another development, the regional police command has impounded a "Toyota corona" taxicab, which was found parked at a spot at Nsuakyi, a suburb of Cape Coast.

The regional police crime officer, Mr Bartholomew Agbenyega, told newsmen that the taxicab without a registration number was discovered on February 18, this year and was towed to the regional headquarters.

The cab's side glass to the driver's seat had been broken and there was no ignition key in it.

The crime officer said the car is suspected to have been stolen but nobody had come to claim ownership in spite of several messages sent out to police units in the country.