JP\/3\/Kopaja<\/p>\n
Three 'gang of eight' members busted for Kopaja heist<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police yesterday arrested three of the eight
\npersons suspected of stealing 64 grams of gold jewelry and Rp
\n500,000 cash from passengers on board a Kopaja minibus Tuesday
\nmorning.<\/p>\n
The three were identified as Gister Simangunsong, 27, Tohar
\nSimandjuntak, 21, and John Maruli Damanik, 22.<\/p>\n
\"The other five suspects remain at large but their names and
\naliases are already widely known,\" City Police spokesman Lt. Col.
\nA. Latief Rabar said.<\/p>\n
The three suspected gang members were apprehended at different
\nlocations in the Ciracas area, East Jakarta, between 7 p.m.
\nTuesday and 4 a.m. yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"None of them had a permanent home,\" Latief related.<\/p>\n
One of the thugs was arrested at a Lapo Tuak (traditional
\nBatak fermented drink) stall in Ciracas.<\/p>\n
Based on preliminary findings, the gang of eight and a dozen
\npassengers boarded a T 502 Kopaja bus at Kampung Rambutan
\nterminal in East Jakarta at around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, which was
\nthe Hindu Day of Silence.<\/p>\n
The bus' destination was the Tanah Abang terminal in Central
\nJakarta, but subsequent events would turn this routine trip into
\na costly nightmare for the unsuspecting passengers.<\/p>\n
Several minutes after the bus left the Jagorawi tollroad, a
\ngang member stood and signaled his fellow hoodlums to commence
\nthe operation.<\/p>\n
They then readied their arsenal of machetes and sickles before
\npointing them at the bus driver and passengers.<\/p>\n
\"One of the creeps placed his sickle on my neck and forced me
\nto keep driving,\" recalled Parman, 20, the minibus driver.<\/p>\n
After relieving the passengers of their money and valuables,
\nthe group then dispersed along Jl. Matraman Raya in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Parman, one of the passengers was wounded by the
\nrobbers while attempting to protect his property, but could not
\nbe identified by police because he fled the scene before the bus
\narrived at the nearby Menteng police subprecinct.<\/p>\n
\"We're now checking whether this gang has carried out similar
\noperations in the past,\" Latief explained. (bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp3kopaja-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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