Five suspects arrested

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested five suspects, reportedly hailing from Jakarta and Bandung, for allegedly forging telephone cards.

City police spokesman Let. Col. Bambang Permantoro told reporters on Tuesday that police caught the five -- identified as Adriana, 19, Ane Marliratu, 22, Dedi Edward, 15, Kin Li, 22, and Kurdi Tata, 26 -- between July 14 and 28.

According to Bambang, police learned from Adriana that they belonged to one gang. Adriana was caught on July 14 by a Telkom security guard while using a false telephone card to make a call at the Saint Marry Building in Central Jakarta.

The gang's actions, which started in February, caused the state-owned telecommunication company, PT Telkom, a loss of about Rp 36 million, Bambang said.

Police also found in their possession 367 used telephone cards; two master telephone cards; and one telephone box, complete with buttons and integrated circuit, used to program the telephone cards, Bambang said.

"Kurdi and Kin Li will be charged with forgery and the other three with theft," Bambang said.

Bambang said the group has forged and sold 400 telephone cards.

According to Bambang, Kurdi learnt from Oji, who was a PT Telkom employee, how to refill the used telephone cards.

"Kurdi bought the card telephone box and its button for Rp 300,000 from Oji," Bambang said.(01)