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By PETER MIVA
A FAMILY watched helplessly as a gun-totting gang of eight men broke
into their house and escaped with properties worth K2,824 at Bundi camp
in Lae last Friday.
Lae Metropolitan Commander chief Supt Nema Mondiai said this incident
was only one of a spate of armed robberies that had hit Lae city since
last Friday.
Supt Mondiai said the family, who live near the Laulau bus stop, could
do nothing but watched in terror as the robbers entered their yard and
broke into their house at about 5am.
He said the gang, armed with a factory-made pistol and two home-made
guns, proceeded to ransack the house and took any valuable items
available.
Supt Mondiai said the gang also stole an unknown amount of money from
the family before escaping.
He said that police were alerted later that morning who searched the
area but could not find any suspects.
In another reported armed robbery, a driver of SDA church school bus was
held up by seven masked men armed with home-made guns after he had
picked up pupils attending a pre-school at Tent City at around 2pm last
Friday.
Supt Mondiai said the gang threatened and robbed the driver and children
of two mobile phones and five school bags containing personal items. He
said the gang damaged parts of the bus before fleeing.
In another robbery, an employee of Hornibrooks NGI was held up by
eight-men armed with home-made guns along the Kamkumung road near the
Ples Social Club last Friday at 7am.
Supt Mondiai said they were robbed of K2,548 worth of properties
including a two way radio, a Nokia mobile phone, tools and a company
cheque book.
He said the gang escaped into the nearby bushes with the items.
A Red Cross employee was also robbed by a group of youths along the
Butibam Road last Saturday afternoon at 5pm after dropping of some
volunteer workers.
Supt Mondiai said the youths stole a satellite phone from the victim
before fleeing.
He said that a woman was also held up at Taun Street, Eriku while trying
to drive into her sister’s house by five youths armed with three
home-made guns and robbed off two Nokia mobile phones, a pair of glasses
and driver’s licence.
Supt Mondiai said a man from Dumaowa village in the Menyamya district of
Morobe province was held up by five youths while resting at a relative’s
house at 6-Mile after arriving from his village and robbed of K500 in
cash plus other items worth K475 at around 10am last Monday.
He said police were investigating these robberies.
 
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