Cab drivers accuse police of car theft

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Hundreds Express Taxi drivers demonstrated in front of the West Jakarta Police station on Monday, demanding that police investigate an allegation that a detective was involved in last week's taxi theft in which the driver was killed.

An operational staff member of Express Taxi, Maulana, said the drivers decided to demonstrate after they found out that a detective was using the taxi driven by Sarino, 50, who was found dead in Cikupa, Tangerang, on Saturday.

He said they wanted an explanation from the police on how the taxi driven by their dead colleague could end up in the hands of a police detective.

"We talked with the West Jakarta Police chief and he promised to investigate the case thoroughly and to take action against any subordinate who is found guilty," Maulana told The Jakarta Post.

He refused to reveal the identity of the police detective.

Sarino, who was registered as a driver at Express Taxi's Bintaro pool in South Jakarta, was found dead on Saturday morning by Cikupa residents, who then reported the case to the police.

Later on Saturday, the body was identified by Sarino's family, and was subsequently buried. However, his family decided on Sunday to have his body exhumed and taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta for an autopsy, as they had begun to suspect that he had been murdered.

Another Express Taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said that the detective had allegedly changed the taxi's license number and color so he could use it freely.

The taxi drivers said they recognized Sarino's taxi, but when they confronted the detective, he claimed he got the car from a friend in Bogor, West Java

"We recognized the taxi when it was used by the detective. In addition, we often saw the taxi parked in front of the West Jakarta Police station," he told the Post.

Jakarta Police general crimes unit chief Sr. Comr. Moh. Jaelani acknowledged on Sunday that the police were investigating the death of Sarino and how the taxi could be parked in the West Jakarta Police station compound.

"We are investigating the case and hope we can find out who was behind the murder. It is impossible that a police officer was involved in theft," he told the Post.

Jaelani said that even if a detective had been involved in car theft, it would be very stupid to take the car to the office.

Many people have expressed suspicion that police officers could be involved in car theft, either as the thieves or indirectly as buyers of stolen cars, because they have the means to change license numbers and ownership documents.