Tommy Baker’s gang timeline

June 25, 2013:
Tommy Maeva Baker a.k.a Allah, Kobare and Doboro led a gang to rob workers of a supermarket outside Westpac Bank and fled with K150,000;

July 8, 2013:
InterOil Service Station was held up by six men and Baker was seen armed with a revolver and escaped from police. Three people were killed in an armed robbery at a supermarket in Alotau involving Baker and Michael “Mekere” Yawi;

BETWEEN 2014 and 2015,
Baker goes underground and is captured by police;

April 3, 2016:
Baker, then 30, escaped from Giligili Prison in Alotau, Milne Bay, with four others. He had been remanded by the National Court in the prison for armed robbery, attempted murder and murder;

July, 2016:
Police responded an armed robbery of a supermarket in Alotau. Reaching the scene, police constable Samuel Pisa got out of his vehicle and makes his way to the supermarket but was killed, with Baker and Mekere fleeing in a waiting dinghy. There is now a K10,000 reward for the capture of Baker with K5,000 for each of his other accomplices;

Dec, 2017:
Mekere led the gang to rob the Alotau Bank South Pacific Branch in Padipadi where the gang targeted a bank run by a local business and two people were killed;

June, 2018:
Hagita BSP Branch was hit, this time Baker was part of the gang, two people were injured, one was an ambulance worker who was helping the first victim who was shot. After the armed robbery, Baker left Alotau;

Aug, 2018:
Mekere led a 10-man gang to Tawali Resort where they robbed all the expatriates who were on holiday (they later uploaded a selfie of the gang with their loot);

Sept, 2018:
Baker was seen in Kupiano leading a gang to rob a supermarket, and held up the police station commander of Kupiano, fleeing with his police-issued firearm. After the robbery, he made his way to Port Moresby where police tracked him for more than three days before cornering and capturing him in a motel in Moresby South. Baker is taken into police custody and admits his involvement in the Hagita robbery. He was then charged in court with additional charges for the Kupiano robbery, Hagita BSP robbery and escaping from Giligili prison. He was remanded in the Bomana Prison;

Oct 2018:
Baker fakes a knee injury, was brought to Port Moresby General Hospital where he escaped in a waiting car and fled to Alotau;

Nov 2018:
A woman and child were hit by a vehicle driven by a drunk policeman along the East Cape Highway and resulted in looting by the Baker gang;

Dec 2018:
The Baker gang invaded Misima Station where they looted and robbed the stores, encouraging the locals to get themselves food before fleeing in dinghy. More policemen were sent into Alotau;

Jan 23, 2019:
The family home of Mekere was razed, sparking a shoot-out between the Baker gang and police in Alotau. Milne Bay lawyer Michael Efi was gunned down when he drove into the shoot-out between police and the Mekere-led gang. Boboana Supermarket was raided and robbed, with the ATM at the Alotau International Hotel removed and taken by the gang. In the evening, the gang turned their attention to the police barracks known as Misima Barracks. Then Milne Bay commander George Bayagau was trapped with his men defending and protecting the barracks and families. Gaining the upper hand, Yawi and his gang members manage to get to the barracks buildings, burned down eight houses, a woman and child were trapped in the fire and died; being trapped;

Jan 24, 2019:
Several policemen were injured with one killed in the aftermath of a confrontation with the Baker gang;

Jan 26 and Jan 27, 2019:
Thirteen men from the Baker gang were captured by police over two days (including Mekere’s younger brother);

Feb 12, 2019:
The Baker gang engaged police in a shoot-out in the Daga Compound, two of the gang members were shot and Baker was also shot and injured;

Feb to March, 2019:
After the Feb 12, 2019, clash, 13 men were brought to Port Moresby under heavy escort. Included among the detainees was Mekere’s younger brother. Picked up in Port Moresby was Baker’s younger brother who was also brought to the police station for interrogation. A woman was brought in for allegedly contacting Baker;

Feb 15, 2020:
About a year after the shoot-out in Daga Compound, another two gang members of Baker and Yawi were shot dead in Huhu by police after a robbery;

March 6, 2020:
Police missed Baker by 10 minutes but his “bodyguard” was nabbed during a drinking binge by Baker;

Nov 9, 2020:
A power play broke out between rival gang members with Mekere leading one group and another unknown. The Baker gang went quiet;

March 17 and 18, 2021:
A six-hour gun battle between police and the Baker gang erupts the peace in Alotau;

April 29 and 30, 2021:
Gun fire erupted this time as the Baker gang tried to ambush the National Capital District police who were sent in after the March incident. According to police sources, the gang had divided into two groups as they tried to block the officers. The police managed to block off the gang who went on a rampage, destroying several shops and petrol-bombing the water police barracks. They also stole firearms from a local security firm before hijacking several vehicles to make their gateway. A 60-day manhunt, costing the police about K2 million, was launched and about 40 suspects were arrested, including Baker’s mother, aunt and uncle;

May 3, 2021:
Twelve men were arrested and charged with arson over the Water police barracks fire;

May 6, 2021:
Baker’s mother, aunt and uncle were taken into police custody and charged with aiding and abetting a wanted criminal. A member of the Baker gang also surrendered;

June 10, 2021:
Prime Minister James Marape appealed to Baker and his gang members to surrender;

June 14, 2021:
Two gang members are shot in the mountains of Gudugudu Babana and a 13-year-old girl was rescued;

June 18, 2021:
Two members of the Baker gang were killed in Saididiyali village in Upper Dawadawa ward, another suspect surrendered;

Aug 17, 2021:
Mekere is killed with six others.
To date, 74 suspected Baker gang members have been captured or shot dead.