Tema Regional Police Command of the Ghana Police Service has identified a growing phenomenon that involves the use of hoodlums in trying to resolve cases of indebtedness.

He said the hoodlums attack, kidnap, torture and sometimes seize vehicles belonging to debtors in the quest to make them settle their indebtedness.

"The practice is criminal and when such reports get to the Police, one could be arrested, investigated and prosecuted for serious crimes as robbery and kidnapping". Superintendent Kwabena Otuo Acheampong stated this when he addressed the security awareness campaign platform organised by the Tema office of the Ghana News Agency and the Tema Command .

The GNA-Tema and Regional Police Command Security Awareness advocacy platform seeks to educate the public on security issues, including crime prevention, the responsibility of stakeholders, especially the communities and ignite a renewed sense of media and security collaboration for a safer environment.

Supt. Otuo Acheampong cited a case in which a businessman in oil and gas, together with four others were being investigated for robbery.

He said the businessman solicited the assistance of the four young men, who forcibly collected the ignition key to a Mercedes Benz of his colleague businessman, because of a business transaction. In the process, GH¢ 25,000.00 in the car was stolen by the thugs.

In a related development, four young men were arrested and are being investigated in connection with kidnapping, imprisonment and assault on a landlord who collected GH¢ 2,000.00 from one of the young men under the pretext of renting a room to him.

“We want to warn the public to desist from such irresponsible behaviour and rather resort to the Police or the courts for redress.

“The Tema Regional Police Command is resolute and will deal with anyone, in accordance with the law, who aids and abets or allows himself to be used for such criminal acts,” Supt. Otuo Acheampong warned.

Meanwhile, Supt. Otuo Acheampong has reiterated a call to the public to commit into memory, advertised Police emergency numbers in the Police jurisdictions where they live, and call for assistance whenever they are in distress.

“Save such emergency numbers on your phones as this will reduces Police response time and has the tendency to prevent or mitigate the impact of crime and disorder,” he said.

Residents of Tema and neighboring communities such as Ashaiman, Dodowa, Afienya, Prampram, Kpone, Ada, Sege are to memorize or save and call 233291206472 or 233542719093 around the clock, whenever and wherever they need Police assistance.

The Tema Regional Police Crime Officer said citizens must therefore prioritize personal security and give meaning to the historic saying that, “security is a shared responsibility, between the public and the Police.

He urged all to show greater interest in crime trends in their communities, so that together with the Police, safe, secure and peaceful communities will be guaranteed.

“We also want to encourage communities to form Neighborhood Watch Communities so that everyone becomes the other person's keeper. Residents must communicate and interact among themselves more often and inform the police quickly on any suspicion in a neighbour's residence.

“House owners must share their numbers among themselves and hold local Police accountable for their safety and security,” he said.