Police have arrested a suspect alleged to have stolen an elderly man’s bank card and pension money in Suva, following an incident that sparked widespread concern on social media.
Police confirmed that officers from the Central Division’s Criminal Investigations Department arrested the suspect, who was allegedly found with items belonging to the victim.
He is currently in custody at the Totogo Police Station, and witness statements have been obtained as part of the investigation.
The case came to light after a Good Samaritan shared how she discovered the elderly man sitting near the Westpac ATM outside MaxValue in Suva, appearing distressed and repeatedly checking his watch.
Veniana Dau said the man told her he had handed his ATM card to a stranger who offered to withdraw money for him. The man later returned with only $20, claiming it was all that remained in the account — but the card he returned was not the victim’s.
A woman who also stopped to help attempted to check the transaction history, but the PIN failed — prompting Dau to realise the card had been swapped.
“The person had taken his ATM card and swapped it with another one — stealing this elderly man’s pension money,” Dau said, describing the incident as heartbreaking.
She condemned the act, saying elders should be protected, not targeted.
Police responded to the scene and launched an investigation which has now led to the arrest.
Authorities continue to remind members of the public — especially elderly citizens — not to hand their bank cards or share PIN numbers with strangers, and to seek assistance from trusted family members, bank staff, or police where needed.
