Car rental owners warned against clients

 POLICE have warned rental car owners in Southern Highlands to be careful about who they hire their cars out to.

Provincial police commander Superintendent Sibrong Papoto said there had been cases in Lae, Madang and Goroka of people hiring vehicles and not returning them.

Papoto said the stolen vehicles were then driven to the Upper Mendi local level government in Mendi-Munhiu district, and Wutupia village in the Poroma LLG in Nipa district.

Police arrested a man driving a stolen vehicle last Saturday in Nipa, which belonged to a rental car company in Lae. 

It was reported stolen two weeks ago.

“My policemen are now in Lae with the suspect and the vehicle. The Lae squad will lay appropriate charges and take it from there,” he said.

He said a well-known criminal from Wutupia village was going around stealing vehicles. Five of the vehicles stolen from Lae, Madang and Goroka were found at the village. “I am calling on the hire cars owners to get personal details of their clients properly before letting the vehicle out for hire,” he said. 

Papoto called on local leaders not to harbour criminals such as car thieves but report them to police.

He said the village was becoming a notorious place and a haven for criminal elements. 

Papoto urged travellers to take care while driving in the Poroma section of the Okuk Highway.