Police in the early hours of Thursday arrested the leader of an armed robbery gang that operates in the Accra and Tema metropolis.

George Kwesi Boame Kley, 44, described by the police as a "notorious" robber was arrested at his Dansoman residence by a team of detectives and police officers following a tip off.

Kley, an ex-convict, is suspected to be the lone armed robber who robbed the Spintex Road branch of the Standard Chartered Bank last year. He is also believed to be the brain behind another gunpoint robbery of a foreigner at Nick Hotel in Tema on Wednesday.

Police said he trailed a car of a Tema-based businessman and stole his 35 million cedis on Tuesday.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Denise Akobdem told the Ghana News Agency that on Tuesday, Alhaji Abbas Issa, the businessman, left his residence at Community 11 at Tema with 37.5 million cedis in the trunk of his car.

He said the businessman drove to the offices of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in Tema where he paid a bill of 2.5 million cedis from the money.

Alhaji Issa said when he came out of the ECG offices he observed a blue-black VW Golf parked near his car but gave no thought to it.

He drove to a friend's house at Community 10 and when he returned he again saw the same car parked near his car, this time blocking his path. There was one man in the car and another outside.

Alhaji Issa said he again sat in his car and drove to his office at Community 11 where he picked his brother.

He said he saw the VW Golf for the third time. Alhaji Abbas said the occupants asked him whether he knew one Mr Wilhen and he replied in the negative and drove off with his brother to the offices of Ghana Telecom at Community 9.

He said he alighted from the car and went to the Telecom office. A few minutes later, he heard people raising the alarm of a thief and when he came out of the Ghana Telecom office, he was informed by his brother that the men in the VW Golf had opened the trunk of his car and taken the money away.

Alhaji Issa said he conducted his own investigations and managed to locate the residence of the suspect and informed the police, who after initial investigations, arrested the suspect in the early hours of Thursday.

ASP Akobdem said when Kley was searched an amount of 23.779 million cedis was found in his possession.

He said Kley confessed to have stolen the money from the car at Tema. Meanwhile the police have asked all Police regions who have cases connected with Kley to submit their reports. Members of the public who may have fallen victim to Kley are to report to the CID Headquarters to help in investigations.