Crime rate at Tabari Place must be high

I SAW two youths trying to break into a white Hilux in the post office car park today (Nov 5) at Tabari Place.
This was in full view of shoppers and sidewalk sellers.
But everybody pretended not to notice.
The culprits saw me watching them but they did not care because they knew I could do nothing and there were no policemen around.
They were probably carrying knives and if I had tried to chase them away, I could have been stabbed for my trouble.
During another trip to Tabari Place last week, I saw an expatriate woman’s handbag being snatched in front of the post office and the thief quickly disappeared into the crowd.
I only went to Tabari Place twice recently and both times I witnessed petty crimes taking place.
If this is happening everyday, the petty crime statistics for Tabari Place must be very high.
This crowded shopping area desperately needs police on foot patrol during business hours.
Having the city’s largest police station at one end and a police cop shop at the other end, near the bus stop, is obviously not enough to deter crime in the Boroko shopping area.
We need to equip our foot patrol officers with walkie-talkies.
I am sure that with police foot patrols around, thieves will think twice before doing anything.
And if the constabulary cannot provide beat police, the NCDC must employ elite security guards with powers of arrest to keep shoppers and their vehicles safe around Tabari Place.
Maybe the Yumi Lukautim Mosbi project could help with funding.

 
Aaron Hayes
Port Moresby