Air Force member arrested for robbery

Air Force member arrested for robbery

JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested three members of a vicious gang
of robbers on Thursday, one of whom turned out to be a member of
the Air Force, during a raid in Kampung Tengah, East Jakarta,
Jakarta Police Detectives chief Sr. Supt. Harry Montolalu said on
Friday.

One of the robbers, identified as Samsudin alias Udin Buduk,
was shot dead by police when he tried to escape arrest.

"The gang has been the target of a police operation for five
years now," Harry told a media conference.

He said the group had robbed several residences and other
buildings in Bekasi and East Jakarta, raking in hundreds of
thousands of rupiah from their crimes.

"The group would not hesitate to hurt their victims if they
refused to give them what they wanted," Harry said while
displaying an ordinary sickle and a Kujang, a weapon unique to
West Java.

Harry said that the Air Force member, identified by the police
only by his initials BB, would soon be handed over to military
police headquarters.

According to the police report, the Air Force member, a 37-
year-old chief sergeant, lived in the Sriti dormitory of the
General Education Section at the Halim Perdana Kusuma Air Force
Base in East Jakarta.

Harry admitted that the number of crimes involving military
and police personnel had increased lately.

"I don't know the reason for this," Harry said.

The other arrested man was identified as Azis Susilo, 31.
Police also arrested a man who had been negotiating with the gang
at the scene to buy some electronic appliances prior to the
arrest.

Meanwhile, five other members of the gang were still at large,
Harry said. (jaw)