Five officers killed in accident

JAKARTA (JP): Five South Jakarta police officers were killed in a motor accident on Jl. Patuk Besi, Ciasem, in Subang, West Java on Saturday night together with a crook they were escorting in search of his accomplices' hideouts.

South Jakarta police detectives chief Capt. Rycko Amelza Dahniel said on Sunday the five officers' Kijang van was involved a head-on collision with a truck at about midnight.

"The officers were on duty in search of the hideout of the suspect's accomplice in Kuningan, West Java," Rycko said.

The five officers were identified as Lt. Rohim, Maj. Sgt. Waliono, Maj. Sgt. Triwinggono, Maj. Sgt. Daryadi and Sec. Sgt. Arif Rahmat Ariwibowo, while the suspect was Alex Wahyudi.

The officers and the suspect were killed at the scene, he said, adding that the officers were buried in Tangerang on Sunday.

According to Rycko, Alex was involved in a theft on Feb. 10 in the Pengadegan area in South Jakarta.

During a preliminary interrogation Alex admitted committing the theft with a friend, who is still at large, he said.

He said the officers then asked Alex to show them his accomplice's hideout, but the accident happened before they reached their destination. (jun/emf)