Hostage-taking a hoax

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
ALOTAU town in Milne Bay came to a standstill yesterday as police dealt with a hostage-taking situation which they later found out to be a hoax.
The town has been on high alert after a string of criminal activities culminating in the shooting to death of a police officer on Saturday by men trying to rob a shop.
Southern Police Commander Allan Kundi said police were called to deal with a reported hostage-taking at the PNG Air and PNG Water Board offices.
“The hoax spread like wild fire causing panic among the residents and the shutting of business houses, including the banks, for almost half the day,” he said.
Police blocked off the entrance to the business area while members of the police tactical unit stomped in to the PNG Air office to look for the “hostage-takers”. Instead they found four frightened staff who had locked themselves inside the office.
They then proceeded to PNG Water Board office.
Kundi said the police officers were highly trained and knew how to deal with such situations.
He said the officers were deployed to Alotau to help track down the killers of Constable Samuel Pisa who died after being shot by armed men robbing a shop.
Police believe nine men were involved in the armed robbery of Jade Island Trading shop on Saturday.
Tourists from the cruise liner Pacific Aria, which was berthed at the town’s wharf, were all reported safe.