Central Java Police Uncover Large-Scale Motorcycle Theft Syndicate Operating Across Provinces
The Central Java Police, through the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation, have successfully dismantled a large-scale motorcycle theft syndicate involving a network across provinces. In this motorcycle theft case, officers secured 87 motorcycles of various types at a warehouse in Bandung Regency, West Java.
This was conveyed by the Director of General Criminal Investigation of the Central Java Police, Muhammad Anwar Nasir, accompanied by the Head of Public Relations, Artanto, and the Head of Sub-Directorate III of the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation, Helmy Tamaela, in a press conference held at the Borobudur Building of the Central Java Police Headquarters on Wednesday (February 25) afternoon.
In his explanation, Police Commissioner Muhammad Anwar Nasir revealed that officers had secured two main suspects, namely R (43), a resident of Wiradesa, Pekalongan City, and S (47), a resident of Warungasem, Batang Regency. Suspect R played the role of the main liaison who collaborated with the financiers, while suspect S was in charge of finding and providing a place to store the vehicles before they were shipped.
“The perpetrators sought people who were willing to lend their ID cards in exchange for a certain fee to apply for motorcycle credit from leasing companies. After the motorcycles were received from the dealer, the installments were not paid, but instead, the units were collected and sent to a warehouse in Bandung Regency via rail freight services,” he explained.
In addition to the two suspects, the police are still pursuing AM, who is now a fugitive and is suspected of being the intellectual mastermind and financier who manages the storage warehouse in Bandung.
The Director of General Criminal Investigation added that this motorcycle theft and receiving stolen goods syndicate exploited administrative loopholes in the shipping company by using STCK (Vehicle Trial Certificate) as a shipping document. This was possible because the vehicle registration certificate (BPKB) and vehicle registration certificate (STNK) had not yet been issued by the police when the vehicle was newly delivered from the dealer.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief of the Central Java Police, Latief Usman, who also inspected the evidence directly, expressed his appreciation for the performance of the General Criminal Investigation Directorate. At least 10 leasing companies, including FIF Group and Mega Finance, were victims, with total losses estimated at Rp1 billion.
“We appreciate the quick action of the General Criminal Investigation Directorate and its members in securing these 87 vehicles before they disappeared. These units will soon be returned to the rightful parties, namely the leasing companies that were victims, for further administrative action,” he said.
To prevent similar cases, the Central Java Police reminded the public not to carelessly lend their identity (ID cards) to others for vehicle credit purposes. Leasing companies are also urged to tighten verification of prospective debtors to prevent fraudulent credit schemes.
“We urge the public to be vigilant. Lending ID cards for irresponsible credit processes like this can cause the ID card owner to be involved in legal issues because they are considered to be helping in the criminal act of embezzlement,” said the Deputy Chief of Police.
The perpetrators are charged with Articles 591 and/or 592 of Law No. 1 of 2023 with a maximum sentence of six years in prison. (H-3)
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