Three youths aged between 18-21 years were arrested by the police on June 5 and charged with armed robbery of two gas stations and of stealing a car on the night of June 1.

The three youths appeared in the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's court on June 5, and were remanded in police custody from June 8 awaiting preliminary inquiry hearing on June 16.

The Deputy Police Commander Taniela Faletau, said two youths were from Mataika, and one from Houmakelikao.

He said that the charges related to armed robberies on the night of June 1, when at Sopu, a Chinese Man was forced from his car at gun point and the car was used in robberies. At the village of Malapo the cash register was taken from the Tatafu British Petroleum Service Station, and later the E. M. Jones BP Service Station at Poutaha was robbed of over $2,000 in cash from the cash register.