Police say a 32-year-old suspect used the confusion of a night fire on Starlet 21 Street to take jewellery from a nearby stand.
Police in Koforidua have arrested a 32-year-old man, Abubakar Abdul Latif, on suspicion of stealing women's jewellery from a stand near the scene of a fire while firefighters were still working to put out the flames.
The alleged theft happened on 4 October 2026 at about 1:20am on Starlet 21 Street in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital. Police say the suspect took advantage of the confusion around the fire to take items from a jewellery stand close to the burning building.
He is in police custody and is assisting with investigations.
How the fire started
The fire broke out the previous night, 3 October, at around 10:30pm in a room of a storey building on the same street, and then spread to other parts of the property.
Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the national agency responsible for fighting fires, responded alongside the police. Officers secured the area and controlled the crowd that had gathered while firefighters worked on the blaze.
The account was given by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Augustine Asante Kusi, the Crime Officer for the New Juaben South Municipality, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency. The report was carried by MyJoyOnline.
Fire officer injured
One firefighter, Station Officer Atuahene James of Metro-Koforidua, was injured while fighting the fire and was taken to the Eastern Regional Hospital.
Police visited him at the hospital on 4 October at about 2:30pm. ASP Kusi said the officer was stable and responding to treatment.
Officials visit the scene
Senior officials arrived at the scene at about 11:10pm on the night of the fire. They included the Eastern Regional Minister, Mrs Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey; the Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben South, Mr Ransford Owusu Boakye; and the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Joseph Owusu-Bempah.
The team looked at the extent of the damage, praised the fire service and the police for responding quickly, and told those affected that government would support them. No details of that support were given.
What happens next
Police say calm has returned to the area. Investigations are continuing on two fronts: the cause of the fire itself, and the alleged theft.
For Ghanaians abroad who own property or run small businesses back home, the case is a reminder of a familiar risk. Crowds gather quickly at fire scenes in busy commercial streets, and goods left in open stalls and stands can disappear in the confusion before the flames are even out.
The suspect has not yet been put before a court, and the allegation against him remains untested.
