A corporal has been apprehended by the police in Atwima Mponua town, Nyinahin, located in the Ashanti region.

The corporal, identified as Lansah Umar, who was on leave from his stationed post in Asaam near Mampong, has been arrested on charges of theft and property damage.

It is alleged that Corporal Umar, along with an accomplice, forcibly entered the house of his fellow colleague.

They broke through the security door and stole several bags of cement. The incident took place in the Twere Nyame neighborhood of Nyinahin, and a resident who heard unusual sounds at around 11 pm on Monday, June 10, promptly alerted other neighbors.

Reportedly, Corporal Umar and a 25-year-old tricycle rider named Mohammed Seidu used a pickaxe to break into a room where 200 bags of cement were stored. The room belonged to Sergeant John Opoku Agyemang, a police driver who was on night duty at the time.

Upon noticing a police night patrol team called to the scene around midnight, the two suspects fled, leaving a tricycle behind.

The police subsequently followed traces left by the tricycle, leading to the arrest of Mohammed Seidu. Seidu implicated Corporal Umar as his accomplice in the incident.

He led the police to the home of Umar who also admitted the offence and led the police to where he kept 12 bags of cement.

Evangelist Richard Ampah witnessed the arrest said, “I was at home at midnight then I got a call that someone has broken into a house that we are we are working on. I came here and it was true.”

He added that “The person used a pickaxe to break into the China door. It’s a very hard door but he managed to break it and the cement there was about 55 bags of cement.

“When the police arrived, he showed the place where he had kept his booty,” he said.

The arrest of Corporal Lansah Umar has left many residents of Nyinahin, including a mason who works for Umar and the assemblyman for Nyinahin Nkwanta Electoral area, Kwabena Karikari, shocked.

It comes at a time residents say the area has been recording break-ins.

“I know the officer very well but I don’t know why he did this. I didn’t expect him to do this. It is very bad and I am confused,” Evangelist Ampah said.