Crime at Miles area along Highlands Highway on the rise

By JIMMY KALEBE
The Miles area along the Highlands Highway outside Lae has seen a resurgence in crime in recent weeks, prompting police to issue a strong warning.
“Police are closely monitoring the area and will get tough on those trying to involve themselves in criminal activities,” Lae Metropolitan Superintendent Anthony Wagambie said.
He said this after a suspect was picked up by members of the sector response unit (SRU) last Saturday while attempting to raid staff houses of a service station at Five-Mile.
Wagambie said an SRU patrol unit was alerted through the police toll-free number and was quick to respond, resulting in one suspect shot and his homemade gun retrieved by police.
“Seven young men scaled the front fence of service station at around 1am,” he said.
“SRU units closed in on them, but unfortunately, caught only one while the other six escaped.”
He said the SRU 102 was now patrolling Nawaeb and Miles areas up to Nadzab.
The suspect shot is now at the Angau Hospital.
Once released, charges would be laid against him, according to Wagambie.
In another incident at Kamkumung, a locally-owned timber yard came under attempted armed robbery by five suspects.
One of them was apprehended by staff members with his homemade gun.
Wagambie said two suspects walked into the main office and attempted to hold up a lone woman at the counter.
Other staff members were alerted and managed to apprehend one of them.
Police patrolling the area were alerted and came to the scene.
The identity of the four suspects escaped is known to police.
“The suspect apprehended will be formally arrested and charged by the CID for the offence committed,” Wagambie said.