LAE metropolitan commander chief Supt Nema Mondiai has called on residents in the city to be vigilant in light of a recent spate of armed robberies.
Mr Mondiai issued the warning on Monday after a man was believed to have been shot in the head last Sunday night at Kapiak street, during an attempt to steal his vehicle.
He said the unidentified man was in a critical condition at the Angau Memorial Hospital.
But sources said late that afternoon that the young man, of Finschhafen and Kavieng parentage, who was also a nightclub owner had died.
Mr Mondiai said residents must exercise caution and take responsibility of their own movements in order to avoid becoming victims to armed robbers.
He said the armed robberies figures seemed to be high every month and did not seem to be reducing.
Mr Mondiai said that the public must use common sense and avoid travelling late at night in known trouble spots.
He also strongly advised against travelling alone.
Mr Mondiai said one contributing factor was the pot holes along the city roads which allowed criminals to rob motorists as they slowed down to negotiate their way.
He said in one example, a motorist was held up and robbed by five suspects at the Cassowary Road as he slowed down to avoid potholes last Friday night.
Mr Mondiai said the unknown suspects robbed the motorist of a mobile phone charger and a car stereo after threatening him with home-made guns.
He added that in another armed robbery, four youths armed with four knives held up a motorist along the Butibam Road and stole personal properties worth K194, which included K125 in cash last Thursday afternoon.
Mr Mondiai said a man was also robbed along the Voco Point Road last Thursday morning of K500 in cash and other personal items by unknown youths after threatening him at knife point.
He also reported that an owner of a brand new 15-seater bus was held up by four suspects armed with home-made guns, who drove away in the vehicle last Tuesday while he was refilling petrol at the Mobil service station at around 3pm.
Mr Mondiai said police had yet to arrest any suspects in those robberies but were investigating.
He said that the robberies were committed on victims who all seemed to be alone at the time of the incidents.
He said that police were still doing their part by patrolling the roads but whilst they could not be everywhere at the same time, residents must exercise caution in their own movements in the city.