Police recover stolen K6,200

POLICE have recovered the K6,200 reportedly stolen from Bank South Pacific  (BSP) in Banz, Jiwaka, and are urging the bank to reopen the branch.
Supt Simon Nigi said the K6,200 stolen from BSP on Nov 8 was recovered the next day and handed back to the bank.
Nigi said six of the eight suspects had been arrested.
He said this while supporting a call made by local MP and Defence Minister Dr Fabian Pok for banking services to reopen.
“I want to thank my policemen and Mobile Squad 06 from Mt Hagen for working together, recovering the money and arresting six suspects three days after the incident,” Nigi said.
He said on the night of Nov 8, eight suspects armed with an AR15 rifle, a self-loading rifle (SLR), a 9mm pistol and a pinch bar held up Asila security guards and broke into the bank in the Banz district administration building, stole the money and escaped in a vehicle. 
Nigi said police saw the getaway vehicle at Kudjip market the following day and gave chase. But the suspects sped towards Mt Hagen.
He said they then called the MS06, which set up a roadblock and arrested the suspects in the vehicle.
He said the suspects were all from Ramba road in Hagen central, Western Highlands.
“They were all locked up in the Mt Hagen police station cell but the next day, three suspects disappeared from the cell blocks. I don’t know how they got out.”
He said two days later, Banz police arrested another suspect at Kimil in Jiwaka.
Nigi identified the three men in custody as Michael Tumo, Benjamin Oipa and Falcon Ulg.
He said they faced several charges, including break and enter, stealing, wilful damage, assault, discharge of firearm in public, armed robbery and being in possession of illegal firearms.
He said their case was pending before the District Court.
“There is no reason for the Jiwaka people to be heavily punished by the bank for the theft,” he said.
He appealed to the bank management team to reopen the bank as it was a vital service for the Jiwaka people.