Daring robbers, a dramatic Police chase, a car crashing into a house and a law enforcement vehicle damaged as a result of it all. It may all seem like a scene from a movie, but it really happened outside Suva City early yesterday morning.

The events resulted in four men being arrested and taken into Police custody.

Robberies

The plan by the robbers may have started on the night of August 15 when some people broke into the house of James Avinesh Singh in Verata, Nausori.

When Mr Singh and his family awoke the next morning, his wife’s mobile phone, purse, his Rip Curl wristwatch and the keys to his Honda Airwave car were all missing.

He had reported the matter to Police who were still carrying out investigations when his car was used in a robbery early yesterday morning.

Four men allegedly armed with cane knives, a pinch bar and stones allegedly entered a K-24 Supermarket at Khalsa Road where they threatened the security officer and two cashiers and allegedly stole assorted cigarettes and cash estimated to be worth $1000.

“Police were alerted about the incident and officers from the Valelevu Police Station, Police Special Response Unit and the patrol cars pursued the suspects,” Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said.

“The four fled the scene in a stolen vehicle and Police were alerted about the incident and pursued the four and roadblocks were erected to cut them off.

“The stolen vehicle was found after it crashed into a house and the four had jumped into a taxi and in the process allegedly stoned the Police vehicle.”

Ms Naisoro said the four men were arrested at the Dokanaisuva roadblock at about 3 am and taken into custody at the Valelevu Police Station.

James Avinesh Singh’s car

Collateral damage and loss

The owner of the supermarket, identified only as Navi, did not want to talk about the incident when approached by the Fiji Sun team yesterday.

He only said that he has been operating the business for the past five years and it was the first time that it had been targeted by robbers.

The owner of the house at the junction of Cunningham and Princes Roads that the stolen car crashed into and caused major damage to the building, was also unavailable for comments.

Some people were seen clearing up the broken concrete wall at the house, but they declined to comment.

The person who incurred the most loss in the incident was the owner of the car, James Avinesh Singh.

Mr Singh said his brother had used the car and parked it at home in the evening and when he returned home from prayers, the vehicle was still there.

“It must have been stolen between midnight and 1 am yesterday, but we didn’t hear any sound of the car starting. It must have been pushed out of our fenced compound by the robbers,” he said.

“On the night of August 15, some people broke into our house by removing the louvre blades and took some things including the car keys. I had reported the matter at Nausori Police Station.

“I think the same people who broke into my house that night also stole the car and used the keys to start it. Definitely, the keys were used to start the car.”

Mr Singh said he bought the car for $20,000 and he cleared off the payment last year.

“The car is a write-off and it was not insured. It’s a big loss for me,” he said.

Scene of accident at Tacirua

The stolen car

The Fiji Sun team saw the stolen car yesterday and saw stones inside. The back seat was broken apart, possibly to allow passengers to sit properly and throw stones at either Police or whoever else followed them.

The back glass of the car had also been broken, possibly to make it easier for the robbers to throw stones.

A Police vehicle was also damaged during the chase after it was pelted with stones by the robbers.

The daring robbery and attack on Police vehicles have come after a warning by the Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu earlier this week following some alleged attacks on law enforcers, a vehicle and a community post.

No charges had been laid against the four men as Police were still questioning them.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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