Daylight robbery<\/p>\n
News about robberies of bank clients in Jakarta and other big
\ncities in the country has now become a staple diet for the local
\nmedia, second only to Ecstasy when it comes to crime stories.
\nWhat is disturbing about these daylight robberies is not the huge
\nsums of money involved, but the increasing use of violence, at
\ntimes involving firearms. As mentioned in many reports, the
\nrobbers showed no hesitation in firing their guns to scare off
\ntheir victims, paralyze them into inaction, or even kill them.<\/p>\n
What is even more disturbing is that the police and the
\nmilitary appear to be helpless to stop these robberies. These
\nrobberies have been taking place at an even greater frequency, in
\nspite of a massive crackdown against illegal firearms conducted
\nby the Jakarta Military Command.<\/p>\n
Only in one known recent incident did the police gun down the
\nrobbers. This was the robbery of a woman who had just withdrawn
\nRp 1 million in cash on Nov. 18 from a Surabaya branch of Bank
\nDanamon. Although there was violence, this was a petty robbery.<\/p>\n
The bigger robberies that have occurred in and around Jakarta
\nremain unsolved. Unfolding one or two of these mysteries could go
\na long way toward answering such questions as to the identity of
\nthe robbers, where they obtained the guns from, and whether there
\nare powerful syndicates behind them. In the fatal robbery on the
\nJagorawi toll road last month, one suspected accomplice said that
\na military officer was involved, but we have not heard anything
\nsince, because the suspect died while in police custody.<\/p>\n
The only thing the public knows is that this is now a trend,
\nthat it is becoming more violent, and that robbers are
\nindiscriminate about their victims. It could happen to anyone.<\/p>\n
The modus operandi in most cases indicates a certain pattern.
\nEach victim was followed from the moment they left the bank.
\nThree or four people were involved. In most cases, they used
\nmotorbikes, which are ideal for a quick getaway in heavy traffic.<\/p>\n
Where and when the robbers would strike are more difficult to
\ndetermine. In one incident, at the Bank Ekspor-Impor Indonesia
\nbranch near the U.S. Embassy, the robbers struck in the parking
\nlot. In another, they followed the victims to their office at the
\nMinistry of Information. In two other robberies, they followed
\nthe victims home or ambushed the victims on the toll road.<\/p>\n
The little knowledge we have is hardly comforting. These may
\nappear to be simple cases, but the way unsolved robberies keep
\npiling up make them look as complex as solving white-collar
\ncrimes.<\/p>\n
To their credit, the police have encouraged anyone intending
\nto make huge cash withdrawals to ask for police escorts. This
\nthey willingly provide free of charge. It is better to deal with
\nthe police before, rather than after a robbery. But the fact that
\nsome people are reluctant to take up the offer raises the
\nperennial question about public trust of our police force.<\/p>\n
Many banks have taken the initiative of providing their own
\nescort services for clients carrying huge sums of money. Some are
\nalso in close touch with the nearest police precincts, should a
\ncustomer wish for a police escort.<\/p>\n
Ultimately however, it is the individual who has to take the
\nnecessary precautions. No amount of protection will be enough if
\nrobbers feel that the effort is worth the risks. And, as some of
\nthem have shown, they will resort to violence if they have to.<\/p>\n
What is puzzling about the news reports on robberies is that
\nat a time when banking services are expanding rapidly, allowing
\ncashless transfers, there are still many people who prefer or
\ninsist on conducting their transactions in cash, particularly in
\nhuge sums. In an era of computerized transfers and credit cards,
\nit almost defies logic. The best way to avoid being robbed is by
\nnot giving robbers the pretext in the first place. In a cashless
\nsociety, which ours is becoming, surely this should not be
\ndifficult to do.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/daylight-robbery-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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