Police foil robbery attempt on Winneba rural bank

The Anti-Armed Robbery Response Unit (AARU) of the Ghana Police has thwarted an attempted robbery at the MRB Rural Bank in Winneba, Central Region, in the early hours of Friday, August 15, 2025.

According to a police statement, the bank’s alarm system went off around 1 a.m., prompting a patrol team to respond. When officers arrived at the scene, they were greeted with sporadic gunfire from suspected robbers. A brief shootout ensued, forcing the gang to flee.

The robbers abandoned a pump-action gun, an empty cartridge, and other tools at the scene. Preliminary investigations suggest that about five men were involved in the attempted heist, which targeted the bank’s vault. Police believe the swift response of the patrol team prevented what could have been a major theft.

Investigators noted striking similarities between this attack and recent rural bank robberies, raising suspicions that the same syndicate is behind both incidents. Intelligence reports indicate the gang may currently be hiding in Kumasi, where an AARU surveillance team has been deployed to track them down.

Police say efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspects and bring them to justice.