Armed robbery in South Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Eight men, one of them carrying a gun, broke into a house in South Jakarta yesterday, bound the owners and stole two handphones, a laserdisc player, two televisions, a guitar, 160 grams of gold jewelry and Rp 3 million (US$1,250).

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said the eight men drove a Kijang van to the house on Jl. Minyak, in Pancoran, at about 1:30 a.m.

"Six of the eight men broke down the door. The other two waited in the van," Aritonang said.

He said the owners, Wigunawan and his wife, were asleep upstairs at the time.

"Wigunawan went down to see what was going on when someone hit him on the head with a crowbar," he said.

Wigunawan's son, Ananto, 22, was also hit on the head when he tried to help his father, he said.

Aritonang said they ordered Wigunawan and Ananto into the main bedroom.

Wigunawan, his wife and son were tied up with rope and two belts and pushed onto the bed, he said.

One of the burglars pointed a gun at Wigunawan's wife and asked her where her jewelry was.

"Wigunawan's wife said, over there, in the drawer," Aritonang said.

When the burglars left, the family untied each other and reported the burglary to the local police precinct.

Also yesterday, jewelry worth Rp 1 billion was stolen from a department store in Blok M, South Jakarta.

A sergeant at the Kebayoran Baru Police subprecinct confirmed that Mega Pasaraya had reported the early morning theft.

The officer said the police believed more than one person was involved. (jun/04)