Police halt sale of stolen vehicle

By ZACHERY PER
A BRAND new five-door Toyota Landcruiser stolen from Hides PDL 1 in Tari, Southern Highlands, was sold to a hire car operator in Goroka for K50,000.
But the transaction was short-lived as Goroka police successfully apprehended the new owner acting on a tip-off last week.
Police at Goroka said the vehicle had been stolen from Mt Hagen on Nov 20 and taken to Goroka.
It was then sold to the operator of a hire company for K50,000.
Police said the man paid K10,000 deposit to the car thieves, with the balance of K40,000 yet to be settled. Police picked up the vehicle and arrested the new owner.
The vehicle, registration CAX 589, is believed to be owned by the Nogoli Landowners Association of PDL 1, in Tari.
It was on official business in Mt Hagen when it was taken by the car thieves and driven to Goroka.
The buyer was arrested for being in possession and buying stolen property and is out on K1,000 bail.
He is to appear before the Goroka district court.
Another hire car used as a getaway vehicle during an armed robbery at the New Century Supermarket, at West Goroka, was recovered at 5-Mile, outside Goroka town.
Acting Eastern Highlands provincial police commander David Seine said five armed men pretending to be salesmen from National Rice Distributors approached the manager of the supermarket, held him up and made off with an undisclosed sum of money.
He said the incident took morning shoppers by surprise but they alerted Goroka police who gave chase.
The criminals abandoned the vehicle at 5-Mile and disappeared into bushes. They are still on the run.
Seine commended his men for the excellent effort in recovering the vehicle, which is believed to be from a Lae-based hire car firm.
“I call on hire care companies, shops and the general public to be wary of who they are dealing with as criminals and opportunists are on the loose and can do anything to get fast money,” Seine said.
He called on the public in Goroka to help police apprehend the five suspects on the run.