Firm hailed for reducing petty crimes

A PRIVATE security firm is credited with eliminating petty crimes at the main bus stops in Lae, once notorious for pick-pockets and drunks.  
Senior councillor of Ward 9 in the Wampar LLG, Jacob David, praised Menyamya Morobe Security Services (MMSS) for cleaning-up the bus stops of Eriku, Top Town and Main Market.
“It is safer now to use these bus stops because MMSS are foot-patrolling all of these venues and keeping criminals away,” David said.
He said that 20 guards patrolled every bus stop daily, which discouraged petty crimes and harassment of the travelling public by drunken hooligans.
General public transport users have commented that bus stops have become considerably safer to use today compared with the past few years.
“You have to clutch your bag firmly and worry if you will be harassed by some drunk when you get to the bus stop,” a woman, who works at a bank at Lae’s Top Town and has been using the public transport system for the past two years, said.
“Recently, I have lost that fear and I praise the city authority for a job well done,” she said, requesting anonymity.    
Lae city council policing unit boss Simon Ipam also praised the work of MMSS and said they were working in partnership.
“You can see that the city has improved very much because we are working very hard with stakeholder partners such as the MMSS and police,” Ipam said.
He added it was proving to be a very successful model of policing and maintaining a safer city.