Embassy staffer suffers break-in

JAKARTA (JP): An unknown number of intruders broke into the property of an Algerian Embassy staff member on Jl. Siung in Cipayung, East Jakarta, yesterday morning, making off with a car audio system.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said local detectives were tracing the thieves who broke into the property of Pewfik Mefti, an employee of the Algerian Embassy.

Based on the preliminary investigation, police learned that the suspects probably jumped over the fence and used a glass cutter on a window of one of the two cars parked outside the garage. The house is still under construction.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Mefti said he believed there was more than one thief, that the burglary could not have been handled by only one man and must have been planned thoroughly.

"They must have observed my house before they actually came in and burglarized my car this morning," he said.

According to Mefti, his servant and her brother were the first to realize intruders were outside the garage and breaking into one of the cars.

"My servant woke me up, saying that somebody was trying to burglarize the house," said Mefti, 38.

He said his mother warned him not to leave the house because she was afraid the thieves might be armed.

He said one of the thieves saw him peeping.

"He yelled awas lu (be careful) and pointed his machete in my direction before running out of my property," said Mefti, who has been posted in Indonesia for six years.

He said he tried to run after the suspect but lost him. "I didn't hear any sound of a motorcycle or car when the suspect ran away."

He said the police came quite fast, "but the hounds came very late".

Mefti said the loss of his car audio system would be covered by insurance.

Yesterday's incident was the second at Mefti's property in the last 10 days.

On Saturday, somebody broke into a shed used to store household wares and accommodate workers hired to build his house.

"The perpetrator made off with some stuff, including stoves, all worth around Rp 500,000 (US$188)," he said. (cst)