Impersonating police to extort money from family

Three suspects were arrested by Police from the Central Public Safety for allegedly impersonating police officers and extorting cash from a middle-aged woman and her son at Jackson’s Airport.

The three suspects were identified as; Joel Jackson, 30, Kingston Kenny, 30, both from West Sepik Province, and Armstrong Ralda, 21, from Western Highlands Province.

The suspects were wearing Police uniform shirts and were driving a white Toyota double cab bearing registration number CAY 689.

Police reported yesterday that the woman (named) and her son from the New Ireland Province were leaving the Jackson’s Domestic Terminal for the bus stop when the three suspects stopped them and checked the boxes they were carrying. The suspects allegedly told the woman and her son to get on the car when they discovered that two of their boxes were filled with mustard.

The suspects allegedly demanded K2,000 from the lady as they were driving around the city. The woman gave them K500 cash and explained that it was all she had, however, the suspects allegedly refused to let her go unless she paid them the remaining K1,500. The woman then used one of the suspect’s phone to communicate with her husband to transfer the balance of K1,500.

The woman’s family in New Ireland transferred another K800 into the account of the suspects who insisted on the remaining K700 before they would release the woman. The woman then texted her sister who alerted police.

First Constables Abraham Jerrifia and Ian Gunawi were at the Police Headquarters when they were alerted by the sister of the victim.

“The message was not clear as the woman was in fear and texted only the car plate number and the last location. We tracked them and finally saw them at Rita Flynn where we intervened and stopped them,” First Constable Gunawi said.

The three suspects were stripped off the police uniforms and charged.

(The three suspects and the uniforms they wore. They were arrested and charged by the Central Police Public Safety Unit)

Author: 
Press release