A MAN who is part Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea was arrested in Gizo, Western Province today (Monday 16th January) for allegedly stealing a GPS from a yacht which is berthing inside Gizo harbour.
The yacht belongs to a couple from Germany who are visiting the country as tourists.
They are currently visiting Gizo and it was over the weekend that the suspect removed the GPS from the yacht.
The couple managed to track the device and recovered it from a man residing at Gizo Hotel who claimed to have received the stolen item from the suspect.
The couple told Solomon Star Gizo that their GPS device went missing a few days ago but they were able to trace it using a tracking device.
A security guard at Gizo Hotel confirmed that he knew about the suspect who stole the GPS from the yacht because he was the same person believed to have broken into a shop called Simeon’s Video in Gizo.
However, he said they were unable to find the suspect.
According to the security guard, the suspect after stealing the GPS from the yacht sold it to another man in return for three cartons of beer.
The GPS was recovered after the person who received the stolen GPS was trying to sell the item but was caught red-handed.
Gizo Police officers have already arrested the suspect who stole the GPS today around 2pm and he will be charged.
Workers at the Gizo Hotel earlier this afternoon told this paper that the couple made their way up the stairs at the Gizo Hotel and angrily pulled out the GPS from one of the persons who received the device.
The couple expressed their disagreement towards such attitude which they said is not good and doesn’t reflect Gizo as a safe tourism destination.
The GPS cost between SBD4000 to $5000.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
