According to a story on TV3 Ghana today, a notorious thief was nabbed and paraded by an outraged mob in the Volta Region after being caught with stolen stuff. The burglar, whose identity has yet to be revealed, made a surprising confession to the gathering, saying, "I steal to feed my family," leaving many observers startled.

The incident occurred in a peaceful neighborhood where locals had been concerned about a recent run of burglaries. According to eyewitnesses, traces of a break-in at a nearby residence raised community fears. On the day of the occurrence, an alert neighbor spotted the suspect leave a residence with a bag full of stolen items and quickly raised the alarm.

The robber was quickly apprehended by a swelling crowd of residents who had been on high alert for days due to frequent crimes in the neighborhood. When confronted, the man attempted to flee, but was swiftly apprehended. Faced with no way out, he confessed to his misdeeds, claiming that poverty and the necessity to sustain his family had drove him to steal.

"I steal to feed my family," he reportedly admitted to the enraged mob, but his plea for empathy did little to calm them down. Many locals expressed dissatisfaction with his activities, noting the frequency of his infractions.

One eyewitness stated, "We saw him with the bag and knew something was wrong." When we approached him, he attempted to flee, but we grabbed him. That's when he confessed. Another resident remarked, "His excuse is irrelevant. For far too long, we've been victims of his robberies. If he needed to provide for his family, he should have found another method."

Despite the mob's building anxiety and wrath, police officers arrived just in time to keep the robber safe. He was hauled into custody and charged with theft.

A police spokeswoman addressed the event, asking the people to avoid taking issues into their own hands. "While we understand the frustrations of the community, we encourage everyone to let the law take its course instead of resorting to violence," a spokeswoman told me.

This incident demonstrates the difficulty that communities have when dealing with crime, as well as the deeper issues of poverty and desperation that can motivate people to perform illegal acts.