Army soldier beaten for theft

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Residents of a housing complex severely beat an Army soldier for allegedly stealing a motorbike, an official said on Monday.

Local Military Police chief Col. Sukardi said the serviceman, identified as Pvt. Nurhadi, was visiting his girlfriend at her house in Puri Indah housing complex on Sunday evening when the mob nabbed and beat him after receiving the theft report.

"We have arrested the suspect and are questioning him intensively," Sukardi said.

He said Nurhadi, from the Bojong-based Batallion 406 in Purbalingga, did not deny that he took a motorbike from the parking lot of Istana Emas restaurant and karaoke facility at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. The motorcycle, bearing the number plate G 6264 RF, belongs to Suryanto of Sokaraja district.

A parking attendant claimed to identify Nurhadi as he took the motorbike out of the restaurant compound.

Nurhadi was quoted by Sukardi as saying that he stole the motorcycle to impress his girlfriend. (08/45)