CCTV helps identify thieves

By JIMMY KALEBE
POLICE, through Closed Circuit TV (CCTV), have identified 15 more “chicken thieves” who broke into and looted the Zenag chicken farm in Mumeng, Bulolo, on March 12.
Morobe police commander Chief Insp John Daviaga said the Lae rural patrol unit were still on the ground with Mumeng police to hunt down, identify and arrest the suspects.
Police have arrested 20 suspects who had been released on bail pending court appearance this week. Zenag farm general manager Stanley Leahy, who described the attack as an act of terrorism, estimated the company’s losses at more than K1.6 million.
Leahy had told The National that the farmers had discovered that more than 15,000 birds were stolen together with 12,000 commercial and 3,500 fertile eggs.
“It is estimated that the losses will exceed K1.6 million,” he said.
He said lost breeding capacity constituted the largest portion of the losses, directly impacting Zenag’s ability to supply day-old chicks to small-medium enterprise farmers in Papua New Guinea.
Leahy said it was the first time in Zenag’s 75-year history that an attack of this nature and size had occurred.
“The scale and coordination of the attack is akin to domestic terrorism and demands a strong response from the Government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Insp Daviaga said a new commander for Menyamya Police Station had been appointed and deployed last week following the termination of the former commander following an alleged incident.
“Investigations have completed and the former station commander is currently under suspension,” he said.
Chief Insp Daviaga said police arrested three men with six 10kg bags of marijuana.
The suspects came from Marewaka in Eastern Highlands and were trying to cross into Morobe or over to Central through Kaintiba.
“Police caught up with them and the police station commander helped out with the arrests and locked the trio up until the next day.
“Instead of formally arresting them (suspects), the police station commander, undressed the three suspects, tied them to a vehicle and marched them around in public,” he said.
Chief Insp Daviaga said the station commander had been meting out the same treatment on suspects in the past and the people were fed up and attacked him.
“Two people have been arrested for assaulting the station commander,” he said.