Papua New Guinea police ask for help capturing pirate – because their last patrol boat broke down six years ago
- The country’s beleaguered police force has asked the public for help tracking down a ‘notorious’ prison escapee as they try to end a spate of offshore and onshore robberies
Papua New Guinea’s beleaguered police force asked the public for help tracking down a “notorious” pirate Thursday, as they tried to end a spate of offshore and onshore robberies.
Police Commissioner Gari Baki said officers in the east of the country were struggling to apprehend the chief suspect – a prison escapee and alleged pirate named Tommy Baker – because their last patrol boat broke down six years ago.
Baker was said to have escaped from Port Moresby General Hospital last October while receiving medical treatment.
Police said a mobile squad was being deployed to the town of Alotau to assist the local police fight a deadly crime spree.
The Post Courier newspaper reported that seven police houses were burned to the ground in the town and several policemen were wounded in a shoot-out with Baker’s gang.
A supermarket was also reportedly raided and an ATM stolen.
