Container theft uncovered

JAKARTA (JP): The City Police have arrested a businessman for his alleged involvement in the theft of 27 containers, an officer said.

Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said Monday the suspect, identified as Komarudin Y., 45, was arrested at his company's workshop in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, where the stolen containers were being refurbished.

"Komarudin confessed he bought the containers from three other men for at least Rp 5 million (US$1,890) each," said Aritonang.

According to the suspect, the three men, identified as Yo, Ir, and Mu, had stolen the 27 containers worth around Rp 290 million from seven local shipping companies. The three men are still at large.

"In their operation the men cheated the companies by saying they wanted to rent some containers to ship products to Taiwan," Aritonang said.

The theft was uncovered after one of the seven companies, PT Trisna Muda Sejati, which rented out eight of their containers, reported the fraud to the police Thursday as soon as it found that the name of the company hiring its containers did not exist, he said.

Aritonang said 17 of the 27 stolen containers were 20-feet equivalents and the other ten were 40-feet equivalents. (cst)