Crime statistics for the first half of the year has shown a decline in armed robbery, compared to the same period in 2010, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), DCOP Prosper K. Agblor has said.

However, the Ashanti Region tops the chart with 176 incidents recorded in 2011, as against 110 in 2010, indicating a 60 percent increase in robbery cases in that region.

Accra placed second with 113 cases in 2011, as against 248 in 2010, representing 54.4 percent decrease. The Central Region followed closely with 94 cases in 2011 as against 92 in 2010, showing 2.2 percent increase.

A total of 584 robbery incidents were recorded from January to June 2011, as against 684 incidents in the same period in 2010, indicating a decrease of 100 cases which represented 14.6 percent.

During the period under review, a total of 191 suspected armed robbers were arrested, with some 120 firearms retrieved from suspects while about 33 of the suspects have been convicted.

Out of 183 vehicles which were snatched, police have managed to recover 81.

The CID boss appealed to members of the general public who might have been victims of violent crimes and had their cars snatched from them to call at the CID Headquarters, Accra, with documents covering the vehicles and their identifications to collect their cars.

Tema placed fourth by recording 56 cases in 2011 against 94 in 2010, representing 40 percent decrease, followed by the Eastern Region which had 53 cases in 2011, as against 44 in 2010, representing 20 percent increase.

Brong-Ahafo Region took the sixth position with 32 cases in 2011, as against 19 in 2010, showing an increase of 68.4 percent.

Western Region followed with a record of 19 cases in 2011, as against 25 in 2010, indicating a reduction of 24 percent while the Volta Region recorded 17 cases in 2011, as against 23 in 2010, a reduction of 26.1 percent, to claim eighth position.

The Northern Region placed ninth with a record number of 11 cases in 2011, as against 9 in 2010, showing a 22.2 percent increase. The Upper West Region had 9 cases in 2011, as against 20 in 2010, representing a reduction of 55 percent, to claim the tenth position, with the Upper East placing eleventh, recording 4 cases in 2011, as against 12 in 2010, indicating a 14.6 percent reduction.

In all, a total of 584 robbery cases were recorded in 2011, as against 684, showing a 14.6 percent reduction.

The CID boss mentioned Latebiokorshie, Odorkor Terrazo House, Odorkor Tipper, New Gbawe, Sakaman Total filling station, Blue Lagoon-Sakaman, Tweneboah-Dansoman, Palace Town-Anyaa, Agbogba, Ashongman Estate, Dzorwulu, Taifa-Burkina, Dome CFC, Busia Junction-Odorkor, Kanda and Achimota-St. Johns, Antie Aku-Sowutuom as robbery prone zones in Accra.

Boadi-Tech, Atimatim, Ohwinase, Royal House-Bantama, Atasamanso, Anoma-Kokrom-Tarkwa, Anloga Junction, Oforikrom, Asuofoa, Adum Pampaso to Buokrom F-line, Ash Town, Atonsu, Awia Cemetery, Tafo Pankrono, Ahinsan, Bremen West Junction, Amakom and Afful-Nkwanta are the robbery prone zones in the Ashanti Region.

The Brong-Ahafo has Techiman-Wenchi-Bamboi, Techiman-Kintampo-Buipe, Atebubu-Kwame Danso-Kajeji, Ejura-Atebubu-Yeji, Brekum-Drobo-Sampa, and Hwediem-Nkaseim-Goaso Highways as its robbery prone areas.

So far, a number of 14 persons died- 10 police officers and 4 armed robbers, while 50 persons got injured. Two suspected robbers were lynched by the public.

The CID boss warned the public, especially taxi drivers, to be wary of persons who hired their services at night to outlandish places. He advised that when passengers try to get down or pick someone on the way, they should be very careful because they may be picking accomplices.

When they suspect such passengers, they (drivers) should drive straight to the nearest police station.

They should occasionally watch their driving mirrors to check if they are being trailed by motorbikes or other vehicles.

He noted that bus drivers should occasionally observe the demeanor of passengers.

DCOP Agblor assured the public that the police were on top of the crime situation and appealed for public-police partnership to clamp down on the activities of robbers.

He noted that without public participation, the Police Service could not achieve these modest gains and reminded the public of the IGP’s reward for informants who gave information leading to the arrest of wanted or suspected persons.

He further assured that informants’ identities would remain confidential, adding that the Service was doing its best to track down small arms production in the country since the main source of arms to robbers were local manufacturers.