Bali police kill two alleged burglars

DENPASAR, Bali: Police in the resort island of Bali shot dead two suspected burglars and severely injured a third in the Jimbaran area, about 27 kilometers from the provincial capital of Denpasar.

The police claimed Iwan Palaguna from Makassar in South Sulawesi and Iman Rohman from Malang in East Java were killed at dawn on Sunday during an attempt to escape the custody of security personnel.

The third suspect, Nanang Widodo, also from Malang, sustained serious wounds to his legs.

"My men tried to warn them not to run, but apparently they wanted to exploit the dark of the night ... My men had no choice but to open fire," Denpasar police detective chief Comr. Budi Wasono said.

He said the suspects belonged to a gang of burglars who had been operating in Denpasar for almost one year. They were believed to have successfully broken into at least 30 properties across he city.

Empty houses and electronic goods were favorite targets of the gang, Wasono said. "Interestingly the gang's key figure, Iwan Palaguna, holds a university degree in law, a press card, and a National Search and Rescue membership card." --JP