NCD car thefts up
The National- Friday, January 21, 2011
By JUNIOR UKAHA
CAR thefts by using duplicate keys is on the rise in Port Moresby, according to chief of police operations in NCD, Jim Namora.
Namora said there was a new trend where mechanics who were tasked with fixing people’s cars were colluding with criminals to later steal the vehicle they serviced through duplicating its keys.
He cited two recent cases in which vehicles were stolen without any trace when they were parked at car parks by their owners.
The first case was at the Jackson International Airport at 7-Mile where a Honda CRV was stolen after the owner parked the car outside the terminal and went about his business.
The second case was at Habour City, SVS, in which a similar method was used to steal another CRV sports utility last Nov 16.
“The signs of car theft using duplicate keys are obvious as no force is applied, no weapons used and the car is only stolen when it is parked by the owners for whatever reasons,” Namora said.
He added that car owners must be weary of cars that were following them around and quickly report the matter to police as the trackers might be criminals trying to rob their vehicle through the use of duplicate keys.
Namora said that in most cases, buyers of vehicle make prior arrangements with criminals and give them money to organise for sophisticated methods of crime so that they can easily steal vehicles from others without traces.