Police arrest 13 for involvement in shoplifting<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City police arrested 13 people, including seven
\nwomen, late Monday for alleged involvement in a shoplifting ring
\nwhich concentrated on major supermarkets in the capital, a senior
\npolice officer said.<\/p>\n
The officer, who asked not to be identified, said on Tuesday
\nthe arrests were made at two separate locations.<\/p>\n
\"Seven of them were arrested when they were having dinner in a
\nPadang restaurant in Taman Sari district, West Jakarta, while the
\nsix others were apprehended at their mastermind's house in the
\narea,\" he said.<\/p>\n
One of the suspects, Roy, 24, said on Tuesday he began working
\nwith the group two months ago because it was difficult to find a
\nreasonable paying job.<\/p>\n
\"I received Rp 50,000 (US$5.8) for each operation,\" said Roy,
\na \"supervisor\" for the thefts.<\/p>\n
Four or five people were involved in each theft. Apart from
\nthe shoplifters, there was a supervisor to monitor the
\nsurroundings and a driver of the getaway car.<\/p>\n
The women were assigned to steal the goods because they were
\nconsidered shrewder and more resourceful, Roy said. He did not
\nknow how much the women were paid.<\/p>\n
Roy did not explain how the shoplifters evaded electronic
\ndetectors on merchandise or security guards.<\/p>\n
\"Recently, we concentrated on two Continent outlets in Pluit
\n(North Jakarta) and in Kuningan (South Jakarta),\" Roy said,
\nreferring to the foreign hypermarket.<\/p>\n
Another suspect, Tatik, 40, formerly worked in a garment
\nfactory in North Jakarta. \"I had to join this group,\" she replied
\nwhen reporters asked why she became involved in shoplifting.<\/p>\n
Other female suspects, aged from 17 years to 25 years, covered
\ntheir faces with their hands, wept and refused comment when
\npolice showed them to reporters at police headquarters.<\/p>\n
Police said the arrests were made following a tip-off from
\nTaman Sari residents who were suspicious of the sale of goods
\nfrom the house, which was arranged like a minimarket.<\/p>\n
Neighbors claimed people would visit the home throughout the
\nday and night to buy goods.<\/p>\n
The house belonged to one of the detained suspects, identified
\nas Teng Syan.<\/p>\n
After conducting intensive surveillance, police concluded the
\nsupplies were obtained from shoplifting in major stores.<\/p>\n
\"The sad thing is that the activities were organized by Teng
\nSyan himself,\" the police officer said.<\/p>\n
Teng Syan and his wife Michelle have undergone intensive
\nquestioning. They are believed to have been the organizers of the
\ngroup, which mostly recruited laid-off workers.<\/p>\n
The shoplifters said they were provided with two Kijang vans
\nand between Rp 50,000 and Rp 100,000 to \"shop\". They were paid
\nafter returning with shoplifted goods.<\/p>\n
Teng Syan reportedly disclosed to police he had run his in-
\nhome store for more than five years, receiving an average Rp 10
\nmillion per day.<\/p>\n
\"Teng Syan accepted anything submitted by the shoplifters,\"
\nthe officer said.<\/p>\n
Inside Teng Syan's modest two-story house -- located in a
\nnarrow alley in rundown Taman Sari I -- goods ranged from rubber
\nsandals to expensive liquor.<\/p>\n
Teng Syan and Michele were helped by three housemaids who also
\nserved as shop assistants. They said they did not know the origin
\nof the merchandise.<\/p>\n
Police detectives who checked the store planned to seal the
\nhouse as evidence. They have assigned two armed officers to
\nsafeguard the merchandise.<\/p>\n
\"We're afraid neighboring people will flock here and loot the
\nplace if they know the boss of the shoplifters has been
\narrested,\" an officer said. (emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-arrest-13-for-involvement-in-shoplifting-1447893297",
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