Gas station owners, employees arrested for meter tampering
Gas station owners, employees arrested for meter tampering
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Five owners and employees of four gas stations in Jakarta have
been arrested for tampering with meters, a city police officer
says.
Chief of Jakarta police's special crime unit Sr. Comr. Syahrul
Mamma said on Thursday that gas stations on Jl. Kampung Bandan in
North Jakarta, on Jl. Bekasi Timur Raya in East Jakarta, on Jl.
Mataram I, Kebayoran Baru in South Jakarta and on Jl. Suryo, Blok
S in South Jakarta had been caught defrauding gasoline consumers.
"They intentionally took two to 2.3 liters from every 20
liters a customer purchases. Imagine how many liters customers in
the capital lose every day. We believe that they have been
engaged in this crime for the past one or two years," said
Syahrul.
He said that police early this week arrested the operator of a
gas station on Jl. Kampung Bandan in North Jakarta, identified as
ES, 46, and confiscated six pieces of equipment that were used to
suck out fuel while filling customer's cars.
The owner of a gas station on Jl. Bekasi Timur Raya identified
as SM, 68, and her employee AS, 48, were also apprehended early
this week.
Syahrul said police found four pieces of equipment that were
used to pump back gasoline from the customer's vehicle gas tank.
Last week, police arrested an employee of the gas station on
Jl. Mataram I identified as BL, 54, and the owner of the gas
station on Jl. Suryo identified as SY, and confiscated several
similar pieces of equipment.
"Most of them used the same method. They have equipment that
enables them to pump back gasoline that flows out of their
dispensers. We have confiscated all of their equipment to be used
as evidence in court," Syahrul said.
He said only the gas station on Jl. Mataram I was forced to
close as the equipment was welded to the pump, while three others
were allowed to continue to operate.
"We didn't close down the other three gas stations because we
think these are needed by people during this time of crisis,"
Syahrul said.
He said all of the suspects were still being interrogated at
city police headquarters.
Syahrul said that all of them would be charged under Law No.
21/2001 on gas and oil, Law No. 8/1999 on consumer protection and
Law No. 2/1981 on illegal meters, with a maximum punishment of
five years in prison.
State oil and gas company Pertamina said in May that at least
51 gas stations across the Greater Jakarta area had tampered with
their meters.
Pertamina said the 51 gas stations had meters that exceeded
the tolerable level of 50 millimeters divergence between the
amount of gas actually pumped and the amount recorded on the
meter for every 10 liters of gas bought.
The 51 gas stations, among others, are located on Jl. Gatot
Subroto, Jl. Raya Buncit, South Jakarta, Klender in East Jakarta,
Cakung and Pluit in North Jakarta, several areas in West Jakarta,
Bukit Sentul in Bogor, Jl. Raya Pekayon in Bekasi, and Jl. Raya
Cipondoh in Tangerang.
So far, police have only closed down the gas station on Jl.
Gatot Subroto and arrested its operators.