Army private caught at the 'Post' for auto theft<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An Army private was apprehended on Sunday while
\nattempting to steal a motorcycle from the basement parking lot of
\nThe Jakarta Post's editorial office in Palmerah, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The suspect, Private second class Beni Arianto, 22, of the
\nArmy's Air Maintenance and Supply Battalion, was set on by scores
\nof angry local residents, who attempted to burn the suspect
\nalive.<\/p>\n
Beni was saved from the wrath of the residents by Post staff
\nand security guards, including those from nearby offices. Local
\npolice officers eventually arrived at the scene and transported
\nthe suspect to the Tanah Abang Police station.<\/p>\n
The sole on-duty security guard at the Post, Sudasi, who
\nspotted the attempted theft at around 9:30 a.m. over the office's
\nsecurity cameras, received injuries to his right temple and left
\near during a scuffle with Beni after confronting the suspected
\nthief.<\/p>\n
Beni's three accomplices were able to flee the scene aboard
\ntheir two Honda Grand Astrea motorbikes. They were identified by
\nBeni as Anton, Andi and Sulaiman.<\/p>\n
\"They were my civilian friends who used to hang out at the
\nRodeo billiard parlor in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta,\" Beni told
\nofficers at the Tanah Abang station.<\/p>\n
Major Tasmani, the chief of the suspect's battalion, could not
\nbe reached for comment.<\/p>\n
The attempted theft on Sunday was the second such incident at
\nthe Post in the past several months. In the previous incident,
\none of the suspects was also apprehended.<\/p>\n
Beni and his three accomplices, using a specially modified key
\nknown as a T-key, were attempting to steal two motorcycles parked
\nin the basement lot when Sudasi spotted them over security
\ncameras in the office's reception area.<\/p>\n
Sudasi rushed to the basement where he was confronted by Beni,
\nwho was attempting to steal a Honda Tiger motorcycle. During the
\nfight, the suspect twice jabbed Sudasi in the face with the T-
\nkey.<\/p>\n
Locals<\/p>\n
Local residents and security guards from nearby offices rushed
\nto the scene after being alerted by Sudasi's screams.<\/p>\n
The security guard was taken to Aini Eye Hospital in South
\nJakarta, where he received several stitches before being
\ndischarged.<\/p>\n
After being questioned for nearly an hour at the Tanah Abang
\nPolice station, Beni was taken to Jakarta Police Headquarters for
\nfurther questioning.<\/p>\n
Beni claimed this was the first time he had committed a crime
\nand he did it because he needed money to send to his parents in
\nPadang Pariaman, West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Timur Pradopo said he
\nhoped his men would be able to arrest Beni's three accomplices.<\/p>\n
Beni told officers at Jakarta Police Headquarters that besides
\nhis Rp 600,000 monthly salary, he also regularly received some Rp
\n100,000 from each of his three accomplices, who he said were
\nnotorious hoodlums in Pondok Gede.<\/p>\n
\"The money was so that I would keep my mouth shut,\" the
\nprivate said.<\/p>\n
Separately, a police source said that over the past several
\nmonths city police had arrested several Army members for various
\ncrimes, mostly drug offenses and auto thefts.<\/p>\n
\"Most of them usually get off easy once they are transferred
\nto Military Police Headquarters. What can we do? We just swallow
\nour pride.<\/p>\n
\"Drug cases are the worst and most frequent. Almost every
\nother week we arrest them (Army officers) at Kampung Bali in
\nTanah Abang,\" the officer said.<\/p>\n
The source added that corporal first class Sutrisno, an active
\nmember of the Presidential Guard at the Military Police, was
\narrested for the use and possession of two packets of putauw
\n(heroin) at Kampung Bali on Jan. 4 this year.<\/p>\n
\"We don't know where this man is now or whether he has been
\npunished accordingly or not.\" (ylt\/bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/army-private-caught-at-the-post-for-auto-theft-1447893297",
"image": ""
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