A terrifying incident unfolded at Suva’s Millers’ Wharf early yesterday morning, where a security officer was threatened at knifepoint during an aggravated robbery. Paula Vale, who has been working as a security guard at the wharf for six years, feared for his life as several masked men entered the premises of a shipping company just after 2 a.m.
CCTV footage captured the moment when the intruders confronted Vale. He recalled standing still, asking the masked assailants about their presence when one of them commanded him to go inside the guard room. “Get inside or we will attack you with this knife,” they warned. Complying out of fear, Vale was tied up and forced to lie down while the robbers executed their plan.
“I almost thought I was going to get killed,” Vale expressed, emphasizing that this was the first instance in his life where he faced such a mortal threat. With their identities concealed by masks, the intruders were unrecognizable to him. The panic-stricken guard noted that the robbery lasted about nine to ten minutes, during which the suspects took a safe from the premises. He overheard them comment about the safe being “on top,” but he was unaware of its contents or value.
The distress of the incident lingered for Vale, leaving him unable to sleep as he replayed the events in his mind. Never before had he experienced such an ordeal in his time at the wharf.
In a positive development following the incident, police confirmed that one man has been taken into custody in connection with the aggravated robbery, and investigations are ongoing to track down the other suspects. Authorities have also reported that the stolen safe was loaded onto a fiberglass boat as the robbers made their escape.
This incident highlights the importance of security measures in public spaces and the need for ongoing community safety efforts to support individuals like Vale who protect these areas.