Hotel footage shows thief grabbing money

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The police arrested one member of a gang who stole US$300,000 from representatives of the Rabithah Alam Islami (World Islamic League) during their stay at the Borobudur Hotel, Central Jakarta, last week.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said on Thursday that they had detained the person captured on film taking the bag of money by the hotel's CCTV system.

The suspect, identified as DN, 32, was arrested late on Wednesday in Bogor with $30,000 and Rp 32 million in his possession, said the police's chief of general crimes, Sr. Comr. Moh. Jaelani.

"The suspect confessed that he belonged to a seven-member Palembang gang specializing in theft at hotels in Jakarta," he told The Jakarta Post.

The suspect also said the money, which was intended for tsunami victims in Aceh, had been distributed among the gang members.

Jaelani expressed optimism that the rest of the gang would be arrested soon as DN had disclosed several locations where they stayed.

The Rabithah Alam Islami -- comprising religious leaders from the Middle East and Africa -- were checking into the hotel last Thursday when two of them, identified as Abdul Satar and Ali Sulaeman, went to the hotel's money changer to exchange money.

While exchanging money at the counter, one of them put his bag down on the floor. The bag was found to be missing soon after. The representatives reported the incident to the management of the hotel, who then called the police.

However, none of the representatives, who only speak Arabic, wanted to talk to the police, not even when officers visited their rooms on several occasions. They left Indonesia on Tuesday after only reporting the incident to Saudi Arabian Embassy and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

After complaining that they were having difficulties solving the case, the police proceeded with the investigation, relying solely on the CCTV recording and witnesses.

The delegation, led by the organization's secretary-general, Abdullah bin Abdul Muhsin At Turki, was here to give lectures on what it termed true Islamic teachings. Besides meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the group also gave a lecture at the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah in Jakarta, met with religious leaders and visited Aceh.