Thousands plunder disused sugar factory<\/p>\n
PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Thousands of Banyumas residents
\nhave plundered the closed Kalibagor sugar factory, making off
\nwith hundreds of meters of railway tracks and other steel
\nmaterials.<\/p>\n
Banyumas Police chief J.H. Hutauruk said the looting started
\non Saturday and that he assigned a battalion of mobile police to
\ndisperse looters.<\/p>\n
Hutauruk said about 200 tons of steel were stolen, including
\nsteel columns, sugar milling equipment and roof trusses.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post observed many people scavenging outside the
\nfactory compound on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"We let them operate outside the plant. But we have prohibited
\nthem from entering the factory compound as it now belongs to a
\nperson through a legal auction, Hutauruk said.<\/p>\n
The looters, carrying crowbars and saws, included Kalibagor
\nresidents and people from neighboring villages and districts.<\/p>\n
The looters said on Monday they decided to take the steel
\nparts from the plant after hearing that Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala
\nPutra, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, had
\npurchased the fixtures to make parts for the Timor vehicle.<\/p>\n
\"It is better for us to take the disused materials than let
\nthem be owned by Tommy. The Soehartos have devoured too much of
\nthe people's money,\" Supardi, a Sokaraja villager, said in a
\nvoice full of emotion.<\/p>\n
He said they sold the loot to junk dealers for Rp 500 per
\nkilogram. \"Better quality steel, usually steel bars for
\nreinforcement work, is Rp 700 per kilogram.\"<\/p>\n
Supardi said he worked with five neighbors in looting the
\nplant.<\/p>\n
Samin, who was from another group of looters, said more people
\nworking together would be able to collect hundreds of kilograms
\nof steel.<\/p>\n
\"We collected two tons yesterday,\" he said on Monday. Most of
\nit was 15-meter-long railway tracks.<\/p>\n
The sugar factory, built in 1918, was closed last year amid
\nthe prolonged financial crisis. (45\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-plunder-disused-sugar-factory-1447893297",
"image": ""
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