Court: Pick pockets and bag snatchers increasing

PICK-POCKETING and bag-snatching at bus stops and roadsides in Port Moresby have increased recently, a magistrate told court last week.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar made the statement at the Waigani District Court before sentencing two men to prison with hard labour for stealing a woman’s bag (bilum).
He said the only way to stop the stealing was to impose such penalties to such people so that it could be a lesson to others who were stealing from innocent people.
Magistrate Bidar said a maximum penalty of three years could be imposed for stealing but that would depend on the type of offence committed.
Gatusi Laiam and his friend Eddy Able, from Goilala in Central, were charged with one count of stealing.
The court heard that on March 23 at Regioni Street at Badili, Port Moresby, Laiam and Able stole a bilum which contained a mobile phone, car keys, a Bank South Pacific Kundu Card and K1740 in cash.
The items and the cash added the value of the properties stolen to K2200.
Able and Laiam pleaded guilty to their charge in their previous mention date on Nov 9.
They said they stole the properties from a Dorothy Anton.
Magistrate Bidar sentenced Laiam to 12 months in prison with hard labour and deducted six months for time spent in custody.
He also sentenced Able to 12 months in prison with hard labour and deducted three months for the time spent in custody.
The court heard that Laiam had prior convictions of being in possession of marijuana and was sentenced to four months in prison by the Boroko District Court.
Magistrate Bidar said stealing had increased and it was the court’s duty to impose penalties on people who stole from others.