Fleeing suspect shot dead

TANGERANG: Tangerang Police shot dead a suspected robber near the Balaraja toll booth early on Wednesday as he tried to avoid arrest.

Tangerang Police deputy chief of detectives Insp. Kustanto said officers were forced to shoot Armudin, 28, a resident of Tigaraksa, Tangerang, after he ignored warning shots.

Armudin was arrested on Tuesday with accomplice Mawardi, 29, at their hideout in East Lampung regency, Lampung. They were suspected of committing several robberies last year in Tangerang and Rangkas Bitung.

As the police car neared the entrance to the toll road, Armudin managed to slip free of his handcuffs, and then jumped from the police car.

Kustanto said the two had stolen money from an automatic teller machine at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, robbed a gold store in Rangkas Bitung and a Toyota Astra car dealer in Jatiuwung, Tangerang. -- JP