City official's car stolen at City Hall

City official's car stolen at City Hall

JAKARTA (JP): A city official's car was stolen in broad
daylight from the City Hall parking lot on Tuesday after its lock
system was deactivated.

The black Corolla belonging to the city secretary's assistant
for development administration, Ongky Sukasah, had returned from
Hotel Indonesia in Central Jakarta, driver Gatot said.

"We arrived at City Hall at 1:40 p.m. from Hotel Indonesia.
After locking the car, I went upstairs and handed over the key to
Pak Ongky," said Gatot, who added the vehicle's documents were
kept with the official.

"We didn't realize what happened until later in the afternoon
when Pak Ongky wanted to use the car. He said that the car was
gone."

Security officials said they saw the car leaving the compound
but were not suspicious.

"Knowing it was Pak Ongky's car, we didn't check whether it
was Gatot who was in the car," a security official said.

Ongky's car was parked near Governor Sutiyoso's official car
which is alone in being guarded.

City spokesman Muhayat said security at City Hall must be
tightened following the incident.

"All this time, security officials didn't check the high-
ranking officials' cars when they were leaving the compound," he
said.

"Perhaps, we'll apply a ticketing system for all city
officials' cars parked in the compound to prevent such crimes
from happening again."

The incident added to the number of official stolen cars in
recent years. Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul
Kahfi said last month that the city administration lost 60
official cars in the period from 1998 to 1999.

Most of the cars were used by various city agencies. The theft
on Tuesday was the first involving a vehicle of a high-ranking
official. (05)