Four rob Central Jakarta family of Rp 104 million

JAKARTA (JP): Police are hunting four burglars who tied up a Central Jakarta couple and their three servants before stealing cash and jewelry worth Rp 104 million (US$43,333).

Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. M. Ibrahim said yesterday the suspects went in a Kijang minivan to the house on Jl. Danau Mindara, Tanah Abang district Thursday morning and accosted one of the servants, Rizal.

"One of the men suddenly threatened Rizal with a sickle and told him to enter the house," Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim said the suspects accosted the two other servants in the living room and tied the hands of all three.

He said the house owner Faizal and his wife, Aini, had just finished breakfast when the burglars entered the dining room and threatened them with sickles.

He said the burglars tied the couple and ordered them and the servants into a room.

The men stole money and the jewelry from a bedroom drawer before leaving, he said.

According to Ibrahim, Faizal's six-year-old son Niko untied his parents and the servants.

A police source said the police found it difficult to investigate the burglary because it was reported in the evening, hours after it happened.

But Faizal said he reported it to the military subdistrict in the morning before going to the police in the evening.

The police found many things had been moved at the house, the source said.

Faizal is a textile trader at Tanah Abang market.

Another robbery

Also Thursday, two motorcyclists threatened a woman with a sickle and grabbed her handbag containing Rp 1.5 million and a handphone in West Jakarta.

West Jakarta Police Detectives Chief Maj. Ronie F. Sompie said the victims, Kong Ang Mei and her friend, Dewi, who drove the car, were stopped by the two men at 10 a.m on Jl. Alamanda, Taman Ratu housing complex in Kebun Jeruk district.

"The men pointed sickles at Kong Ang Mei and Dewi and told them to get out of the car," Ronie said.

Ronie said the suspects hit the car window and threatened to hurt or kill them if they did not do as they were told.

He said one of the men pushed Dewi out of the car and grabbed her bag.

The robbers left when they discovered that Dewi did not carry any valuables, he said.

Mei, a resident of Central Jakarta, then reported the robbery to Kebun Jeruk Police subprecinct, he said.

Mei told the police that she was dropped at Dewi's house by her husband in the morning. She went out with Dewi on business, Ronie said.

In the same housing complex on Tuesday night, two motorcyclists robbed a woman who had just alighted from her car. They got away with Rp 2 million.

Ronie said Lindawati Fong, a private employee, had just arrived at her house on Jl. Duri Mas when two men approached her.

He said one of the two robbers pointed a sickle at Lindawati's neck and demanded her handbag.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just want your money," Lindawati quoted the suspect as saying.

Ronie said the suspects escaped by motorcycle after grabbing the victim's bag. (jun)