ROYAL Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) officers of Noro Town have arrested a man for alleged to be responsible for throwing onto public government roads in Noro hundreds of two inch nails intended to puncture vehicle tyres.
Reports reaching the Solomon Star said police on Friday had arrested a young man from Marovo lagoon who was at the time of arrest was working at the only tyre repair shop in Noro and was living in the same building as the repair shop.
Initially it was reported that on Friday the 27th of September just before dawn taxi drivers passing over the down turn access to the Noro market have notice tiny objects scattered over the road. They stopped to pick up the nails after their taxi headlights spotted them.
Upon investigating the drivers found that the objects were in fact hundreds of two inch nails scattered over the road.
They immediately stopped on-coming traffic and proceeded to slowly pick every single nail that they were able to find.
“The nails spread over so much of the road and were so many that though we started removing them before dawn, we were only able to ensure road safety after the sun had risen,” said a good Samaritan who helped remove the nails from the road.
Each nail recovered were found to be twisted in two ninety degree angles as to make sure they are deadly to any vehicle passing over them.
The twisted state of each nail in the hundreds indicated a premeditated act and not a case of a common fallen cargo accident.
Leading up towards the arrest of the suspect police had received word from a source affiliated with the suspect.
During a social night out in town she had confessed to over-hearing the culprit admitting to being responsible for the incident.
The new found information had come after almost a week of investigation by vehicle owners and concerned public citizens which resulted in a confrontation by an angry mob of vehicle owners and concerned citizens outside the tyre repair shop.
They claimed the culprit was said to be residing there.
Police eventually upon further examination found hidden under his bed a case of nails all identically twisted as those found thrown on the road.
Public have questioned the intention of the suspect and on who had instructed him if at all to commit such a dangerous act.
Questions have been raised about the owner of the repair shop as this tactic has been done in the past when business is slow.
Allegations of past malicious incidents have led back to be related to the same shop owner but has never been proven.
A simple nail tack puncturing the tyre of a speeding vehicle has the potential to over-turn a vehicle and result in possible deaths.
Investigations are still being carried out and any person with information on the matter should contact Noro police.
By TERENCE ZIRU
In Gizo
