Police in Papua New Guinea have been ordered to shoot on sight any citizen committing a crime while wearing a police uniform.
The police commissioner, Gari Baki announced the measure after a weekend robbery in which criminals wearing police uniforms stole 800.000 US dollars from a bank in Madang.
Mr Baki says the uniform belongs to the Queen, and its reputation should not be tarnished by criminals.
The robbery of the Bank South Pacific branch in Madang was the second such raid on a BSP bank in as many months.
Both included criminals wearing police uniforms, the taking of bank managers and their family hostages before the robbery was carried out.
Police in the Madang's neighbouring Morobe Province have arrested three suspects for the Madang robbery but laid no charges.
