LOFTY'S LEGENDS: THE LEGEND of MY SISTER JAYLO Part 1

My sister Jaylo in the driver's seat for the Jubilee Catholic Secondary School.

HOW AN 'OLD BOMB' SAVED MY SISTER'S LIFE . .  

Part 1 - AFX fails to start

Every one wants to own a car and my big sister Jaylo and her husband Kasper had one.

It was a small sedan, the old bomb type that had seen better days. It was useful for getting from point A to B.

Beyond that was taxing the brakes and asking for fuel money.

Jaylo and her hubby Kasper worked at PNG Banking Corporation, now BSP in downtown Port Moresby.

Her husband was an ex police officer who worked in the bank's security department.  Jaylo, a Sargeant in the NCD Reserve Police, was in the money bin too.

She never told us, her brothers and sisters, that her job was a very risky one: escorting cash from Port Moresby to the bank's various branches.

All we knew was that she was a bank siggy.

One day, sister Jaylo was tasked with 3 other male bank security officers to make the usual dash across the Owen Stanley Ranges to deliver cash to Lae, Bulolo and down to our home town Kerema in Gulf Province.

On the day of the money run, Jaylo woke early, had breakfast, and told her her husband to drop her at the bank.

He hubby was used to been ordered around. After all Jaylo was Jaylo!

Jaylo (standing far right) with La Sallian staff.

Fortunately for Jaylo and unfortunately for the bank,  the couple's sedan was on its last fumes. 

The car, known only by the initials AFX from its number plate, coughed, spluttered and refused to start. 

Back then, no mobile phones and the nearest phone was the coin operated blue ringer at Boroko Post Office.

After a bit of tinkering, AFX sputtered to life. But time was running out. 

Moving huge amounts of money requires split second timing, from vault to armored vehicle to the police escort. And done in great secrecy. 

Daring bank robberies were quite common in the nineties and one of these targeted the PNGBC and became known as the Millenium Robbery.

The route changed on every run. The codes changed every day. The secret  code with the pilot of the plane also changed on every flight.

Being a lady escort cop, Jaylo carried a side arm. She normally rode up front with the pilot while the male officers were stuck in the back with the koble box.

On that particular morning, Jaylo arrived at the bank in down town late, only to find out that the team had left for the airport.

Jaylo was stood down and sent home. 

A replacement had taken her place. And the money plane left Jackson Airport for Lae and Wau Bulolo.

Tomorrow: Jaylo Part 2.

Jaylo the policewoman.