Armed robbery remains mystery

TANGERANG (JP): Local police detectives are still in the dark about the recent shooting of a goldsmith trader, who was also a used car broker, by two men in front of the victim's house in Karawaci.

"We're still tracing the suspects' hideout to find the real motive, which is believed to have been an armed robbery," a senior Tangerang police detective, who refused to be identified, said yesterday.

According to Tangerang Police Chief Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna, the two projectiles found by detectives at the crime scene had already been sent to the National Police's forensic department for further examination.

Police have not yet identified the suspects.

The shooting and robbery took place at Perumnas II housing complex on Jl. Tembaga Raya No. 5 on Monday, police said.

The victim, identified as Duke Sastra, 45, had just arrived home with his sister-in-law, Een, 18, and servant Otin, 24, from his goldsmith store in Pasar Malabar when two men on a motorcycle rushed to the garage and insisted he get out of the car immediately, said the police.

The officers quoted Een as saying that one of the robbers pointed a gun at her employer's head while the other grabbed a bag containing cash and jewelry from Otin.

"When Een tried to guard the bag, the armed suspect in a white shirt fired the gun," said Otin.

Sastra was shot in the neck.

The two robbers fled on their Yamaha RX King motorcycle as neighbors and the victim's wife rushed to the scene, police said. (41/bsr)