Armed robbers net Rp 5 million

JAKARTA (JP): Two armed men robbed yesterday a bank on Jl. Gunung Sahari, Central Jakarta, stealing Rp 5 million (US$2,100) from three employees.

It was the second armed robbery in Jakarta this year.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. M. Ibrahim said the Hastin bank's employees, Abdul Hamid, Lina, and Tri Purnomo, were in a van, returning from collecting money from Arby's restaurant on Jl. Menteng Raya, Central Jakarta.

The restaurant owner is a client of the Hastin bank and the three employees were authorized to deposit the money.

The driver was aware the left back tire of the van deflated at a traffic light on Jl. Dr. Wahidin near the Sawah Besar police sub-precinct, Ibrahim said. "But the driver, Hamid, continued driving the van."

Hamid stopped the van at in front of SMP (junior high school) Budi Kemuliaan, when two masked men on a motorcycle approached.

One of the riders pointed a gun at Lina, a teller at the bank, grabbed the money and escaped, he said.

"The incident happened in seconds. Hamid and Purnomo, the bank's security officers, could do nothing because they were afraid of the robbers," Ibrahim said.

He said the victims would find it impossible to recognize the suspects, who wore masks. The robbers also wore helmets.

Another armed robbery occurred Monday when employees of the TVRI foundation were held up in front of the Bank BNI office in Tebet, South Jakarta. The robbers stole Rp 14 million belonging to the foundation.

City Police Spokesman Major Nyoman Suriasta said the employees, identified as Rahmat, Triono and Satria Darma, had just withdrawn the money from Lippo Bank on Jl. Melawai, South Jakarta.

"They stopped at Bank BNI on Jl. Dr. Soepomo, in Tebet because Satrio wanted to pay his telephone bill," Nyoman said.

He said Satrio and Triono entered the bank while Rahmat waited in the jeep. "The money was put under the front seat of the jeep."

"Suddenly two unidentified men on a motorcycle approached Triono and Rahmat," he said.

One of the suspects pointed a sickle to Rahmat, a resident of Koja, North Jakarta, and demanded the money, he said.

"Rahmat tried to resist and had his hand stabbed," he said.

Rahmat tried to fight back but the other suspect pointed a gun at him, Nyoman said. "The suspects then escaped after stealing the jeep's ignition key."

At least 27 armed robberies in banks occurred in the city last year. In November a customer was shot dead by robbers in front of Bank Exim, on Jl. Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta in November. The culprits are still at large. (jun)