Madang PPC shoots armed robber

A SUSPECT who tried to steal the Madang provincial police commander’s official vehicle was shot in the leg and is now recovering at the Modilon hospital.
PPC Chief Insp Anthony Wagambie told The National that the culprit managed to enter his premises at Kalibobo, opened the door of his 10-seater Toyota Landcruiser and was about to drive out when his family alerted him.
He said he ran to the off-side door and wrestled the suspect to the ground.
Insp Wagambie said he managed to pin the suspect on the ground, while his family went into the house to bring him his Police Department-issued pistol.
When he tried to get the pistol from his family, the suspect pushed him over and tried to run away, so he shot the suspect twice in the leg.
Chief Insp Wagambie said while the wounded suspect was lying on the ground, he called for his men to come and take him to the hospital.
He said the suspect, in his early 20s, was understood to be from the Wagol settlement and was one of the prime suspects wanted for a string of armed robberies and thefts in the town.
Chief Insp Wagambie said the incident happened even as the provincial government was trying to address the youth problems in the province by engaging them to clean up and beautify the town.He said the suspect had a knife, some wires and tools like screwdrivers normally used for car theft.
“I was surprised and this is the first time such a thing has happened to me. It’s not right for someone to come to the residence of someone and do this.”
Chief Insp Wagambie warned the public to be aware and take precautions because robbers did not even respect and fear him as the police boss in the province.
He said criminals should start thinking twice before entering someone’s premises as they could be killed by the property owner in self-defence.