Award awaits injured detective

JAKARTA (JP): A detective severely wounded in foiling a robbery attempt in Tebet, South Jakarta, will be honored, the spokesman for the City Police said yesterday.

"The police chief (Maj.Gen. Hamami Nata) is very proud of Sgt. Major Widianto, who was firm and dauntless in fighting the armed criminals," Lt.Col. E. Aritonang was quoted as saying in Suara Pembaruan afternoon daily yesterday.

He did not specify the type of award.

Police are still searching for suspects who attempted to steal Rp 24 million from a customer in the parking lot of the local Bank Central Asia branch.

Hamami paid a call Saturday on the detective at the Tebet hospital.

Sgt. Maj. Widianto sustained wounds to his head and ears from a sickle.

Pos Kota quoted Widianto, who is posted at the Tebet police station, as telling Hamami and his wife that he was recovering.

"Insya Allah (God willing), you'll be well soon," Hamami replied, adding later that all medical expenses would be taken care of.

Also injured in the robbery attempt was Yunardi, who was accompanying his sisters Eries Ayuning and Erina to deposit the money. Yunardi was accompanying his sister Eries Ayuning and another sister, Erina, to deposit the money. They had just withdrawn the money from Bank Niaga branch on Jl. Prof. Supomo, also in South Jakarta.

Two men on a Yamaha RX King motorcycle approached them in the BCA parking lot. They attacked Yunardi, who was carrying the money, and stabbed him in the back when he resisted. Eries' screams for help alerted Widianto, who shot one suspect in the shoulder.

Yunardi is now being treated at MMC hospital.

Police said it was unclear if the suspects had followed the victims from the Bank Niaga branch. (anr)