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A pregnant woman, whose identity is yet to be ascertained by the police in Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital, yesterday led a gang of armed robbers and succeeded in disarming and robbing Elizabeth Anum, a twenty-nine-year-old daughter of the presiding elder of the Church of Pentecost in Koforidua in broad day light. The robbers took away GH�500.00, a mobile phone and valuable personal belongings of Miss Anum amidst firing of warning shots into the air to scare onlookers. Information gathered by the DAILY HERITAGE indicated that the victim was sent to withdraw money from the bank by his father at around 9: am. and was trailed by the robbers who might have thought that she was going in for a huge sum of church money. Sources told the paper that after Miss Anum had cashed the money from the bank and was heading home on foot, the pregnant robber approached the victim and asked for direction to the Ascension Presby Church. This compelled the church elder�s daughter to halt for a moment to assist the pregnant woman. While the victim was in the process of showing the direction to the pregnant woman, two armed men suddenly appeared from the back, pulled a knife and ordered the victim to surrender all her belongings with a threat to slash her throat if she fails to hand over the money and her belongings. This attracted some onlookers who began screaming; but a warning shot fired by the pregnant woman into the air caused them to run for shelter. Out of fear, the victim obliged and the robbers absconded. The victim screamed for help, but the robbers together with their accomplice, the pregnant woman, jumped into a vehicle and varnished from the area when residents and passersby attempted to pursue them. The father of the victim who pleaded to speak under condition of anonymity confirmed the story adding that, he was reluctant to report to the police due to lack of vivid information on the armed robbers. Robbery and theft are on the upsurge in the New Juaben Municipality raising public concern with a call on the police to intensify its visibility and patrol, as well as swoop to get rid of criminals engaging in the act to allay public fear. Some resident in the municipality have declared operation "instant Justice" to deal with the menace if nothing is done by the police. Just recently, a young suspected thief who snatched a bag of a lady with his accomplice at Railway area in Koforidua was nearly burnt alive with used lorry tyres and petrol after being lynched by the mob.