Bank customer robbers nabbed

JAKARTA: Jakarta Police have arrested two men they suspect are part of a five-man robbery gang, the perpetrators of five robberies of bank customers, with total takings amounting to about Rp 500 million (US$58,800).

The deputy chief for the police detective's general crime division, Adj. Sr. Comr. Anton Charliyan, said on Thursday that the two suspects admitted to the robberies, which began in August last year, including the robbery of French national Paul Quinn on Feb. 5 in Cilandak in which the robbers made off with Rp 140 million.

Riding two motorcycles, the gang obstructed Quinn's car and fired at Quinn through the driver's window.

Their latest robbery took place on Feb. 25, when they snatched Rp 50 million from a housewife in Palmerah who had just returned home after withdrawing the money from a bank in Tomang, West Jakarta. One of the robbers shot the woman in the leg.

The police seized two 9mm pistols, nine bullets and Rp 25 million in cash, as well as three bank books each issued by different banks.

Police explained that they were still hunting down the three other gang members. One of the members known as the "sketcher", posed as a bank customer queuing in banks, and gave his accomplices a description of the targeted customers through an SMS.--JP