31 suspected looters handed over from Lampung

JAKARTA (JP): Lampung Police have turned over 31 people to the Jakarta Police suspected of looting shops in the capital during the recent riots.

The suspects were detained with their loot upon arriving at Bakauheni Port, Lampung, from Jakarta on May 19 and May 20, city police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday.

"The suspects are mostly Lampung laborers who work in Jakarta. Police became suspicious when they saw them arrive with valuable things such as television sets and refrigerators," Aritonang said.

They admitted to the police that they stole the goods during the recent riots in Jakarta, he said.

"Scenes of people carrying expensive goods like electronic appliances are common during holidays such as Idul Fitri and Christmas."

One of the alleged looters, Munaji, 30, a fisherman at Kapuk, North Jakarta, said he stole a television set from an electronics warehouse in Tegal Alur, North Jakarta.

"I saw my friends taking things out of the warehouse. They said, "Come on... it's free!" So I took it. I've never had a television set before," he said.

Another suspect, Mardani, 43, said he stole a box of soap and detergent.

"I couldn't get any more because when I came back to the shop, it was already burning," the father of three said. He said he took the soap from Ramayana department store in Koja, North Jakarta.

Sutikno, another alleged looter, said he was not involved in the looting but was detained because police officers were suspicious of the package of coffee he was carrying.

"I'm a coffee seller. I went back to Lampung because I thought Jakarta wasn't safe anymore. I kept telling them I wasn't one of the looters but the officers said, 'Explain it in the office'."

Official data shows there are 950 alleged looters being detained at several police precincts and at the city police headquarters.

The suspects are from various areas, including Jakarta, Lampung, Tangerang, Bekasi, Bogor and Karawang in West Java.

They will be charged under Article 362 and Article 363 of the Criminal Code which carry a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment and Article 187 for arson which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

In a related development, South Jakarta Police said they believed the remains of more looters could still be found in the coming days.

Ramayana Ciputat, Goro Pasar Minggu, Robinson Pasar Minggu and Hero Kebayoran Baru, all in South Jakarta, are among shopping centers the police said have yet to be thoroughly combed for bodies.

"We want to do a sweep through the stores," South Jakarta Police Precinct chief Lt. Col. Yudi Susharianto said.

Some shop officials contacted by The Jakarta Post said that they were pessimistic they would be able to reopen in the foreseeable future due to the extent of the damage and the financial losses they suffered.

Andri S., a Ramayana Pasar Minggu employee, said his manager had no idea when the business would be able to reopen.

He said most of the city's Ramayana stores were gutted by fire. (edt)