City police bust seven gangs of bank robbers

City police bust seven gangs of bank robbers

JAKARTA (JP): Police have smashed seven gangs of robbers, who
made off Rp 1.08 billion (US$456.42 million) from Jakarta and
Bandung bank customers during November and December last year.

The Chief of the City Police Detectives, Col. Paimin Aboeamr
said yesterday police had arrested 24 gang members.

"Some of the suspects were caught red handed and some were
picked up in their hideouts in Bogor, West Java, and Solo,
Central Java," Paimin said. The suspects committed crimes at 19
places in Jakarta and Bandung, he said.

"We could seize only Rp 48 million of the total cash. We also
confiscated four motorcycles, a hand-made gun, some sickles,
swords and knives from the suspects," Paimin said.

He said the suspects robbed bank customers in 19 places in
Jakarta and two places in Bandung last year.

He said the gang membership was based on ethnicity. Members of
the Madura gang hail from Madura, for example, he said. The other
gangs were from Solo, Palembang, Bandung, Tangerang and Jakarta.

He said the gangs committed similar crimes. "They had usually
drawn a map of the targeted banks or houses before their
operations," he said.

"They rented boarding houses as stations. They gathered at the
house before operations. They also kept their weapons in the
houses," he said.

One suspect, Darmadi, told police he had robbed several bank
customers at many places.

"I used the money to set up a restaurant in West Jakarta, but
I'm bankrupt now," he said.

Another suspect said he and his friend robbed a company on Jl.
Cempaka Putih in Central Jakarta. (jun)