Three unemployed men who travelled all the way from Apremdo, near Takoradi, in the Western Region and went on a stealing spree at Winneba in the Central Region have been arraigned before the Agona Swedru Circuit Court.

Bennedict Acquah, 22; Alfred Mensah Trowornu, 21, and Emmanuel Kwame, 23, have been granted a GH¢20,000 bail each to report to the police every Tuesday morning. They pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy, causing unlawful damage, unlawful entry and stealing.

Acquah, Trowornu and Kwame allegedly burgled the house of one Mr Raphael Aikon Snr at Winneba and made away with GH¢400 and a quantity of jewels worth GH¢1,000.

Inspector S. Opoku-Mensah, the prosecutor, said on June 15, 2013 Acquah met with Trowornu and Kwame at Apremdo, near Takoradi, where he invited them to accompany him to Winneba to steal.

According to the prosecutor, Trowornu and Kwame agreed and set off from Takoradi in the early hours of June 16, 2013 and arrived at Winneba at about 7 a.m.

Inspector Opoku-Mensah said Acquah, who knew Winneba very well, led Trowornu and Kwame to a house and told them that the residents of the house were regular churchgoers and would be going to church on that Sunday, so they could start the operation from that house.

Inspector Opoku-Mensah said Trowornu and Kwame scaled over the wall and entered the house, with Acquah standing outside as a watch.

He said Trowornu and Kwame broke the main door with a club and gained access to the living room.

According to the prosecutor, the gang ransacked the room and took GH¢400, a quantity of assorted jewels in addition to two mobile phones.

Inspector Opoku-Mensah said the gang was still in the house when Mr Aikon Snr returned from church.

He said an alarm was raised and the thieves took to their heels.

Kwame was arrested by a mob while Acquah and Trowornu were later arrested by a police patrol team as they were trying to escape in a taxi.