Businessman gets 4 years for stealing designer watches

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta District Court sentenced a businessman to four years in jail yesterday for masterminding the theft of 51 designer watches worth Rp 3.9 billion (US$780,000).

Presiding judge Asmar Ismail said Edi Cai Nam Sui -- alias Buci or Andi Wijaya Gunawan -- plotted with his accomplices to steal watches from Sarida International Watch Store in Ratu Plaza, Central Jakarta, on April 5, 1995.

Asmar said Edi, of Jl. Blok A-1 in Citra Garden housing complex, West Jakarta had instructed Ayen, Asun, Amin, Katai, and Sun Kwi Nio to steal the watches for him.

Edi lent his Mercedes-Benz and a Rolex watch to Asun and gave him Rp 20 million to carry out the robbery which involved buying a watch at the shop.

Asun went to the shop with Amin and Katai to purchase a woman's Rolex worth Rp 18.5 million, he said.

But Asun made a down payment of Rp 15 million and said he needed to get the balance from his room in the Mandarin Hotel.

The judge said two attendants from the shop went with Asun to the hotel while Amin and Katai waited on the premises with the remaining two shop attendants, Rusdiana and Ayen, who was a member of the gang.

Ayen managed to grab wristwatches from the display cases while Amin and Katai kept Rusdiana busy, he said.

The court was told the stolen watches -- which included Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philips, Chopards, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget, and Baume & Mercier brands -- were priced between Rp 7 million and Rp 900 million each.

Asmar said that Edi later met Anyen, Amin and Katai at Citra Hotel in Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, where he paid Ayen Rp 180 million for the loot.

Edi sold 26 of the 51 stolen watches to his brother, identified as Muhamad Hendri, and several shops in Pecenongan, Central Jakarta, he said. Amin and Katai kept the remaining 25 watches.

Hendri will be tried for allegedly buying the stolen goods.

Asun and Ayen have each been sentenced to three years in jail but the other three gang members -- Amin, Katai and Sun Kwi Nio -- are still at large.

Edi, who has been in custody since he was arrested on June 26, in Pontianak, Central Kalimantan, was earlier charged under Article 363 of the Criminal Code which carries a maximum penalty of nine years in jail.

Edi's sentence is in line with the prosecutor Amri S.'s submission.

Outside the court, the defendant's lawyer, Gayus Lumbuun, said that he would appeal the judge's ruling.

"The sentence is too heavy for the defendant because the thieves, Asun and Ayen, were only sentenced to three years in jail."

During the defense's statement, Gayus said his client is a trader in designer watches who accidentally bought stock from Asun and Ayen without knowing it was stolen. (jun)