Police in East New Britain are urging the families and associates of suspects involved in a violent warehouse robbery to reveal their whereabouts, stressing that three injured suspects urgently require medical intervention for gunshot wounds.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Amanda Kates confirmed that on the eve of Independence Day, an armed gang of eight men stormed the BNBM Industrial warehouse in Rabaul. The criminal network was armed with three homemade guns, bush knives, and a flare gun. They traveled to the crime scene using a stolen ten-seater Toyota Landcruiser bearing registration HAT 739.

During the targeted raid, the suspects viciously assaulted the BNBM Branch Manager with a bush knife, whereby the manager suffered severe head and hand lacerations, and due to the critical nature of his wounds, he was medically evacuated to Port Moresby for specialist emergency treatment.

PPC Kates revealed that the total value of the stolen property stands at approximately K20,000. The stolen loot included two boxes of brand-new Samsung mobile phones alongside five personal smartphones belonging to the warehouse staff.

The situation escalated rapidly when NKCL armed guards responded to the scene and opened fire on the escaping gang, successfully hitting and injuring three of the suspects.

The armed group fled the scene in the stolen Landcruiser, triggering a joint pursuit by police units and NKCL security teams, however the suspects fled as far as Tovuru, where they abandoned the bullet-ridden vehicle and escaped on foot into the dense bush.

Commander Kates issued a strong appeal to the East New Britain public to uphold law and order, warning that harboring fugitives with open gunshot wounds poses a severe risk. She urged immediate community cooperation to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the wounded suspects receive controlled medical custody. Anyone with information on the suspects or suspicious activity is urged to alert the police immediately.