Robbers Steal Bundles of Fish from 71-Year-Old Vendor’s Freezer
Mr Waqaituinayau said vendors relied on early mornings to prepare and sell their goods, but without proper security, they were left exposed to theft and vandalism.
Tuesday 22 July 2025 | 06:41
A 71-year-old fish vendor is demanding urgent action from the Suva City Council after thieves allegedly stole close to 30 bundles of fish from his freezer at the Suva Fish Market early Saturday morning.
Jone Waqaituinayau, a longtime market vendor, said the theft occurred around 6am, shortly after the market began opening earlier than usual at 5am.
“We noticed the market started opening at 5am last week, and that small change made a big difference,” Mr Waqaituinayau said.
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“In the past, when security was present, everything ran smoothly. Now, there’s no one watching over the place.”
He reported the matter at the Totogo Police Station, claiming the stolen fish was taken from one of two deep freezers he uses to store his stock. He said the second freezer, which contained more fish, was fortunately left untouched.
“We were lucky they didn’t touch the bigger freezer, or we would’ve lost everything.”
Mr Waqaituinayau said the incident has badly affected his week’s earnings and has left vendors feeling unsafe.
“We rely on early mornings to prepare and sell our goods. Without proper security, we’re exposed to theft and vandalism.”
He is now urging the Suva City Council and relevant authorities to review their security staffing, especially during the early morning hours.
“We need responsible officers, ideally people between 50 and 60 years old. No teenagers. We need people who take their job seriously.”
He claimed that attempts to contact market security on the morning of the theft went unanswered.
“It’s disappointing. We’re not asking for much—just proper security so we can work in peace.”
Questions sent to the Suva City Council remained unanswered.
