Gangs suspected in chain of robberies

JAKARTA (JP): Several gangs are suspected as being responsible for fifteen armed robberies in Bekasi township over the past two weeks, police sources say.

The first robbery occurred on Oct. 16 at the house of H. Kuma Achid, a resident of Jatiwangi village in Cibitung district. The burglars made off with Kuma's car, Rp 6 million in cash (US$2,744), gold jewelry, a TV set and a tape recorder.

The following day, another group of burglars broke into three houses. The first was at the place of Ujang Surjadi, a resident of Telajung village in Setu district. The burglar took Ujang's jewelry and Rp 500,000 in cash.

The second and third occurred at two houses owned by Norin and Guntur at Pulotimaha village in Babelan district, though no report about their losses were given.

Two days later, N. Sulaiman, a resident of Mustika Jaya village in Bantar Gebang district, reported to police that his house was burgled by a group of armed men. The burglars made off with 110 grams of gold, a TV set, a laser disc player, a video tape player, a pager and Rp 350,000 in cash.

The burglars struck again on Oct. 24. This time their targets were four houses owned by Endang, Gani, Mada and Marsan at Pedurenan village also in Bantar Gebang district.

Mada and Marsan are now being treated in Bekasi General Hospital for injuries they sustained after receiving knife wounds to their heads.

Two of the 15 robbers who robbed Mada's house were captured by area residents, who came to Mada's rescue as soon as they heard his screams for help. The residents severely beat the two robbers before handing them over to a nearby police station.

The police identified the two in custody as Uj, 37, and San, 23.

On Oct. 26, a house owned by Nurcahyadi, a resident of Jejaten village in Tambun district, was robbed of Rp 3 million in cash, a set of valuables and a water pump.

Tambun police managed to track down three of the seven burglars who robbed Nurchayadi's house.

On the same day, 12 armed men robbed the house of Sata bin Risin, a resident of Kranggan Wetan village in Pondok Gede district.

The latest report said that the last armed robberies occurred on Oct. 28 at four houses in three different villages.(12/mas)