On August 22 1980 The Fiji Times published that six bus drivers were robbed of their day’s takings at Nabua as nightly attacks on bus drivers in the Nabua-Kinoya area continued.
Police believed that the six drivers were the victims of a single gang operating in the Nabua area and have placed plainclothes officers on the buses to try to catch them.
“We have tightened police coverage in the area and we are hunting for two men in connection with the six robberies on Wednesday,” then CID director, Senior Superintendent Chandra Sharma said.
He said his officers had definite clues in the case and were trying to catch the culprits.
Of the six buses robbed on the Wednesday of that week, four belonged to City Transport, and one of each to Island Buses and K.R. Latchan Buses Ltd.
The then manager of City Transport Ltd, Mr Dewan Chand, who threatened to stop servicing the Kinoya area at night, said he had been assured that the drivers would get protection.
Plain clothes detectives were now riding buses serving the Nabua and Kinoya areas at random as a measure to protect the drivers.
“But if we find this is not enough, we will certainly stop buses running to Kinoya and Nabua areas from 6pm,” Mr Chand said.
“What is the use of running buses and wasting diesel, exposing the buses to attacks and stoning by hooligans and paying the drivers when we get nothing in return?,” he asked.
On Wednesday alone, the company had lost more than $120.
“These people are very smart and well-organised… very well-organised,” he said.
Police public relations officer, Inspector Mohammed Shameem said the robberies took place between 3pm and 9pm on the two bus stops between Bajpai’s Supermarket and Ratu Sukuna Memorial School.
The same method was used in each case.
A group of youths would get on the bus and while one of them paid the fare, the second would put his hand in the driver’s shirt pocket and snatch away the notes.
The bus drivers usually put coins in their money box and notes in their short pockets. Inspector Shameem urged drivers not to keep money in their short pockets.
“It’s very easy to get in there and they should be kept somewhere safe – either in the money box or in their trousers’ pocket.
The total amount involved in the six robberies was above $200.
The bus drivers who were robbed told police it was hard to follow the thieves as they disappeared into the maze of houses at Nabua.
Bus drivers in the Nabua and Kinoya areas have been the victims of many recent attacks and the trend seemed to increase during the Hibiscus Festival Week.
