Cell phone thefts

Cell phone thefts

Referring to an article published in The Jakarta Post on July
28, 2000 entitled Business on the rise at Kebayoran Lama flea
market, I was delighted to hear about the development and success
of business for the former Taman Puring traders.

I welcome all prospective and new business development for the
economy of this country. But, maybe we have overlooked the
control and versatility of types of businesses.

For example, it was mentioned a trader bought a Super 8
camera from a high school kid who looked like a drug addict. He
doesn't even know if the camera works. What responsibility is
that of the vendor? Also to protect the community it would be
better for him to make sure he has the original document and
receipt of that camera. The other is, if the seller looked like a
drug addict, one does not know whether he stole it. Laws should
be regulated for all traders to protect themselves and the
consumers.

To conclude, one kiosk which sells cellular phones also offers
services to unlock personal identification numbers of cellular
phones (these personal identification numbers are for security
purposes but the feature makes it difficult for cell phone
thieves to sell the stolen items if they cannot provide buyers
with the numbers). "Surely this is a joke". How could anyone
possibly be providing such a service if it is to be for the
benefit of a thief. That is pure irony and the kiosk should be
banned, or given the opportunity to supply such a service by the
government where it can be regulated, and for the help of the
community, in response to only legitimate requests. Anyone can
see that this kiosk leaves the opportunity wide open for cell
phone thieves to expand their illegal business. If this PIN
protection is hard for people to break, we will hopefully be
minimizing the large amount of thefts in this business.

The laws and regulations for using cellular phones in other
countries certainly put a stop to the many problems concerned
with them and their usage. Aren't we cutting a fine line allowing
a kiosk to operate that supplies such a service? Unless of course
he has all the original purchase documents. However, I am led to
believe his business should be controlled by the government or by
the State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium
Enterprises Zarkasih Nur.

Two issues that one must note here are as follows: the small
businessman is trying to make ends meet and the consumer is
usually trying to do much the same, i.e. balancing finances. But
there has to be some control within these trading sites so we can
eliminate and avoid the "rats".

C. PARRY

Jakarta