By Martha Louis – EM TV News, Lae
Lae city has seen a decline in major criminal activities since the start of the special operation.
Lae Metropolitan Commander, Anthony Wagambie Junior, said the decline comes from good police intelligence, investigations and coordination in locating and apprehending members of a known gang.
The gang, which had been involved in a string of major armed robberies, has had four of their members apprehended in the last two weeks, following two major armed robberies.
Wagambie said Lae Police are very experienced, and are better coordinated.
However, there is still room for more improvement, and they will need the support of the Morobe provincial government, business houses, and citizens.
Lae Police have caught one more prime suspect who was also part of the known gang on Wednesday afternoon while he was travelling in a PMV bus. Police were monitoring the area, and intercepted the bus at Eriku main bus stop and apprehended him.
He is now in police custody. He will be arrested and charged and will be sent to Buimo Correctional Service.
Another member of a known gang has been shot and killed, while four others have been arrested and charged and sent to Buimo Correctional Service.
These members of the gang have been charged for a string of robberies throughout the city on major business houses.
Police say these men have been linked to the robberies through CCTV footage and eye witness accounts.
Lae Metropolitan Commander, Anthony Wagambie Junior, said Lae is a very operational area to work in, when it comes to policing.
Because of the large population and the lack of manpower and logistics, incidences happen often than expected.
Wagambie said there is a need to implement the sector patrol in the city. The sector patrol will see the city divided into four zones backed with its own patrol unit and manpower.
This will help police combat and prevent crime from happening. Wagambie said they have ambitious plans in place but will need the support from different stakeholders in Lae as well as the Morobe Provincial Government.
