Bank DKI ripped-off

JAKARTA (JP): A bank owned by the Jakarta city administration was reportedly the victim of fraud last week.

Bank Pembangunan DKI Jakarta (BPD Jaya), which is located on Jl. Juanda III/7, Central Jakarta, is said to have paid Rp 75 million (US$33,335) on the strength of a phony check on Wednesday.

A Central Jakarta police source said over the weekend that the incident had been reported by Mufti Muchtar, head of the main Jakarta branch.

The bank's board of directors refused to give further information.

Komari, an official of the bank's secretariat, said that the board directors will issue a press release on the matter this week.

"Only the board of directors has the right to give information to the press," he said, adding that the board directors was still waiting for a report from the bank's supervisory board, led by the Governor himself.

Police said that an insurance agency is suspected of involvement in the crime.

The agency in question tried to cash a Rp 560 million check three days prior to the incident, police said.

Payment was able to be canceled, however, after the bank found out that the stamp on the agency check, bearing the number A 121000-XXXII, was different from the bank's authorized stamp.

Police seized the counterfeit check on Wednesday.

According to the police, the criminal had successfully taken about Rp 75 million in cash before the bank found out about the racket. (05)