Alleged thief shot dead in Ciputat for resisting arrest

JAKARTA (JP): Police have shot dead an alleged thief believed to be a member of the city's most notorious vehicle-stealing gang in Pondok Ranji railway station in Ciputat, South Jakarta.

The shooting takes the death toll of people killed by the City Police this year to 24.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said the man, identified as Tandi alias Charles alias Joni, 26, was shot twice in the chest for resisting arrest.

"At about 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday, he tried to escape by attacking officers with a log after being captured by the police at his home in Bintaro, South Jakarta," Aritonang said.

Tandi was apparently a member of the vehicle-stealing gang, known as "the Group of Nine", which operates in Greater Jakarta, especially in Ciputat, Serpong and Kebayoran Lama.

Three other members of the gang were caught last November. The arrested men, Zaidin, Harianto and M. Djamil are all currently being tried for their alleged involvement in vehicle thefts.

The South Jakarta Police confiscated from the gang a car and two motorcycles.

Aritonang said the police were forced to take firm action because criminals were becoming increasingly desperate and more vicious.

"Many police officers die in the line of duty because of such violent acts by the criminals. That's why we chose to defend ourselves and make the necessary moves before it was too late," he added.

In a separate incident, officers of the City Police and Jakarta Military Command caught seven out of 25 hoodlums allegedly involved in the killing of a soldier identified as Cpl. Gilvin Giminhas of the Military Police in Penjaringan, North Jakarta.

Gilvin was killed after reportedly becoming involved in a turf war with hoodlums in front of Diskotek Kaliber in Kali Besar area, Tambora, North Jakarta.

Four of the seven suspects, who were arrested separately over the last three days, were identified only as LM, NK, AP and JN, the last considered the leader of the gang. The other three were FR, YOH and BR.

"We were following clues from the victim's beeper. Then we tracked some of the names mentioned on it," Aritonang added.

Jakarta Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. D.J. Nachrowi told reporters that JN had confessed to being the mastermind behind Gilvin's murder.

"He also admitted to having stabbed the victim three times. We're currently searching for another member of the hoodlum gang," Nachrowi added. (edt)