Cab drivers accuse police of car theft

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.