Alleged vehicle thief shot dead

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta Police shot dead a man for allegedly resisting arrest early Monday, after he was caught trying to steal a car parked in the Bukit Duri area in Tebet, an officer said.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis, identified the suspect as Nata bin Pulung, believed to be a homeless man in the area.

Nata was shot in the head and chest, Lubis said.

"The suspect was shot after he was spotted by patrolling police officers jumping a fence at a parking lot near a shop- house in Bukit Duri at 4:30 p.m.," Lubis said.

Police said their presence interrupted Nata's plan to steal one of the cars.

According to Lubis, the officers fired three warning shots in the air which Nata ignored.

The suspect then attempted to flee the scene. Just as the police were about to arrest him, Nata attempted to assault one of the officers, Lubis said.

"The officer was not hurt as when Nata pulled out his sharp weapon, the other officers gunned him down," Lubis said, adding that the sharp weapon and skeleton keys were seized from the dead man.

Nata was taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta for a postmortem examination. His body had yet to be claimed by relatives.

His death raises the tally of criminals shot dead by law enforcers this year to 28. (emf)