Police recover K1.6m

 By BENNY GETENG

POLICE have recovered K1.6 million of the K6.3 million stolen during a heist in Port Moresbylast month – but need more money to complete their investigations, a senior officer said yesterday.

Assistant Police Commissioner in charge of the National Capital District and Central Jim Andrews confirmed they had recovered K1.6 million and so far arrested 12 people in connection with the robbery.

He said the 12 people faced various charges ranging from armed robbery, conspiracy and receiving stolen property. They are expected to appear in court soon.

“Police believe that other suspects with cash on them have gone into hiding not only in NCD but in other provinces such as Milne Bay, Gulf, and some provinces in the highlands region, including Mt Hagen,” he said.

The K6.3 million heist was carried out in broad daylight allegedly by some employees of the security company G4S. It happened when they were escorting the money to the bank of PNG.

Andrews said they believed that about K900,000 was banked at the Bank South Pacific branch in Mt Hagen. 

He said police needed funds to conduct investigations outside Port Moresby.

“The investigators working around the clock on the case are facing funding constraints in terms of airfares and allowances,” he said.

“The12 arrested have given police vital clues and links to where the money is hidden but we need funding to pursue the case.”

Andrews will request Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga to fund the investigations.

“Last week police were able to recover a large sum of money at a property in Port Moresby,” he said.