Crime in the city

Crime in the city

Armed robbery continues unabated on the streets of Jakarta. The latest incident, which victimized a man identified as Suharyono, took place in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday, and was the third this month.

The series of robberies in September have involved a total of at least Rp 550 million in cash, with most of the victims coming from banks.

In August, three robberies took place on Jl. RS. Fatmawati, South Jakarta, Jl. DI Panjaitan, East Jakarta, and Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan in Central Jakarta. One attempted robbery was foiled when the would-be victim, Sarjito, resisted and managed to retain the Rp 20 million he was carrying with him on his Vespa scooter. The robberies in August involved a total of Rp 850 million, while in July the figure was Rp 900 million.

The above figures do not include robberies in residential areas in Tangerang and Bogor, where robbers made away with billions of rupiah.

Unfortunately, the police have yet to detail all of these crimes.

Witnesses say that they only caught glances of the culprits. Most of the robbers were on motorcycles, wearing leather jackets and helmets. Bullets believed to have come from the robbers' guns have not helped police solve any of the crimes. The circulation of illegal guns, including home-made ones, has made it more complicated for detectives working these cases.

The best thing bank clients can do to protect themselves is to request a police escort when leaving the bank. And carrying a weapon for self-defense is also not unreasonable. Thorough precaution must be taken. This is the reality in Jakarta.

-- Warta Kota, Jakarta