Four nabbed for trying to steal ATM money

JAKARTA (JP): Police foiled an attempt to steal money from a Citibank automatic teller machine (ATM) in Kelapa Gading Mall in North Jakarta on Saturday, an officer said.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said on Saturday that four men tried to get away with electronic equipment from the ATM booth after failing to break open the ATM.

"The police managed to arrest the four suspects in their respective houses in Cilincing, North Jakarta, just an hour after receiving a report about the robbery attempt from the security guards," he said.

The four were identified as Jufrin Nurdin alias Fren, 27, Amad, 25, Wahidin Rusli, 23, and Samsudin, 23.

Fren was shot in the right leg for trying to attack police officers, Aritonang said.

He said the suspects, armed with a gun and machetes, arrived at the Citibank branch at 3 a.m. in a Kijang van and forcibly opened the door of the ATM booth after overpowering a security guard named Ahmad Buruh.

Aritonang explained that the suspects initially planned to remove the ATM but were unable to do so.

The suspects then entered the bank's branch office and stole circuit television equipment and recording equipment, he said.

In an unrelated incident, police also managed to arrest on Saturday one of five suspects believed to have robbed and injured a customer of Bank Rakyat Indonesia of Rp 8 million (US$1,066) in Cilandak, South Jakarta, on Friday.

South Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Satrya Hari Prasetya said the suspect, identified as Fauzi, 26, and his accomplices robbed Ifa Diasari, 39, a medical doctor, in front of the bank's branch on Jl. RS Fatmawati.

Slashed

"One of the suspects slashed the victim's hand and fingers when she tried to defend her handbag containing the money," Prasetya said.

He said the robbers were divided into three groups on three motorcycles. "They planned the robbery."

He said one of the suspects was in charge of waiting for and watching the Ifa's movements at the bank.

Satrya said the Ifa, who was holding her child in her arms after withdrawing money, was approached by two of the suspects.

The men grabbed the bag and ran away, while the Ifa could not do anything due to the injures she sustained during the commotion.

She only saw two suspects leave the scene on a motorcycle via Jl. Tarogong, he said.

The suspects' motorcycle hit a Kijang van on Jl. Tarogong, but their accomplices showed up and helped them get away. They left behind their Yamaha RX King motorcycle.

He said his officers then traced the suspects through the motorcycle registration and managed to arrest Fauzi in his rented premises in Klender, East Jakarta.

He said police confiscated Rp 900,000 from the suspect.

In a preliminary interrogation, Fauzi admitted that his gang had robbed bank customers three times in separate places in South Jakarta, he said.

"We hope we can catch the other suspects soon," he said.

Separately, police said that a Briton was robbed by two people who made off with Rp 10 million (US$1,428) in Ciputat in South Jakarta on Friday.

Peter Ian Bennet, 40, an employee of heavy machinery manufacturer PT Phillip Harris, was on his way home in a Kijang van with his driver after withdrawing cash from Citibank's branch office on Jl. Raya Rempoa. Bennet had the money in a paper bag and was sitting in the back of the car.

Bennet and his driver were forced to stop when their car got a flat rear tire.

While the two changed the tire, Bennet heard the right back door closing. He then saw two people flee on a Yamaha motorcycle.

Bennet checked the back seat and saw his bag had been taken. (jun/emf)