Fomena-Ashanti, Nov. 01, GNA - Mr Peter Kwabena Ameyaw, Adansi North District Chief Executive has appealed to the Police Administration to restore the Hweremoase and Brofoyedru police barriers to help check armed robbery in the district.

He also appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong to beef up the police personnel at Fomena and equip them with the appropriate logistics to maintain life and property in the area.

Mr Ameyaw made the appeal when briefing the press about a recent case in which three gangsters snatched a taxicab from the driver at the outskirts of Bodwesango but were arrested.

He said most of the armed robbery occurred on the Kusa scarp but because the two police barriers had been removed, the robbers used other outlets to escape.

Mr Ameyaw commended the Fomena District Police Command and Ofoase Community in the Eastern region for their sacrifices and alertness which led to the arrest of the three gangsters at Ofoase. =93I want to commend the Fomena police for their alertness and the communal spirit of the people of Ofoase which led to the arrest of the armed robbers=94, he said.

According to Mr Ameyaw, the three suspects, Augustine Adjei, 25, Boakye Ansah, 18 and William Aboagye, 19, had been sent to the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters for investigations.

He said they hired the taxicab from Obuasi to Bodwesango and when they were about to reach their destination, one of them requested the driver, Augustine Asare to stop for him to urinate and in the process, they pulled a knife, an axe and a locally manufactured pistol on the driver and took the taxi away until they were arrested at Ofoase. The DCE said the few police personnel at Fomena found it difficult to deal with the armed robbers.

However, Mr Ameyaw said the assembly under the National Youth Employment Programme had started community security who would be equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to operate effectively and efficiently to complement police operations in the district.