Ex-driver arrested for role in robbery

JAKARTA (JP): City Police yesterday arrested a suspect and questioned two security guards in connection with a robbery at a property developer's office in Ragunan, South Jakarta.

"Another suspect, identified only as Eko, is still at large," City Police spokesman Lt. Col. A. Latief Rabar said, adding that the police are still investigating the possibility of collusion between the security guards and the main suspect.

The arrested suspect, Tri Suryono, 25, is a former driver of PT Mitra Usala Pertiwi real estate developer and was fired several months ago for being indisciplined.

Tri was arrested by a traffic policeman three hours after the robbery when the stolen car he drove laden with stolen goods had a flat tire in Curug, Tangerang, just a few kilometers away from Karawaci where someone was waiting to pick up the loot.

Based on preliminary questioning, the two security guards, identified as Ali, 40, and Agus Taman Bakri, 21, acknowledged that the robbery took place at around 4 a.m. yesterday when they were on duty at the company's office at Jl. Margasatwa 10.

Agus, one of the guards, lives in the building.

They said they saw the two suspects enter the firm from the unlocked door at the back of the office.

Latief said that police are still investigating the reason for the firm to keep the door unlocked.

The two security guards said they were threatened to load the firm's car with merchandise from the office.

The stolen goods include two personal computers, a printer, one facsimile machine, one typewriter, two strong boxes, one of which contained Rp 500,000 (US$228) in cash, and two telephones. (bsr)