Hostage rescued in foiled robbery

POLICE in Morobe intercepted and apprehended two suspects on Saturday in Lae in what could have been a robbery case.
According to the Lae metropolitan command, five men held up a vehicle owner and took him to a secluded area at the back of Peter Block Kamkumung.
It was alleged that the criminals were planning to keep the vehicle owner as hostage while they used his vehicle to commit a robbery at a nearby shop.
Police said members of the public who saw the vehicle owner being forcefully escorted by the suspects through a garden became suspicious and called the police emergency toll free number to report.
Mobile Squad 13 Alpha and Police Footbeat unit went to the area and received additional information.
Mobile Squad 13 members went on foot and caught the gang holding the victim hostage.
Two gang members were captured, one of them was shot in the leg when trying to escape and another two managed to get away.
The victim was rescued and his vehicle recovered.