Gang of bike thieves arrested

BOGOR (JP): Police arrested a gang of seven alleged thieves over the weekend and seized 19 motorcycles they suspect are stolen from them.

Two of the suspects were shot and wounded while resisting arrest, Bogor police chief Lt. Col. Ruslan Riza said Saturday.

He added that four of the suspects were arrested in Cijeruk district while they were spying on potential victims. The other three were picked up in Sukabumi, West Java.

Riza said the gang, whose turf includes Bogor, Sukabumi and Cianjur, was known for its brutality. The thieves would never hesitate to attack victims who dared to resist.

Each stolen motorbike was sold for about Rp 500,000 ($59) to people who were unaware of its legal status, Antara reported.

Riza said the authorities found it difficult to trace the whereabouts of the stolen bikes because many had been resold many times. (pan)