Idul Fitri exodus prompts fears of burglaries

JAKARTA (JP): Fearful of their homes being burgled, many Jakartans traveling out of the city to celebrate Idul Fitri holidays in their hometowns have entrusted their valuables to neighbors or relatives.

"We are now facing very different circumstances, where the number of burglaries and other crimes continues to increase. That's why I don't want to face the risk," said Yuyun, a resident of Harapan Baru housing complex in Bekasi, 40 kilometers east of here, who was contacted by The Jakarta Post on Friday.

That's why before visiting his mother-in-law in Palembang, South Sumatra, on Monday, he gave his belongings -- including jewelry, valuable letters, a television set, a rice cooker and an electric stove -- to a relative in Menteng, Central Jakarta.

He also said that he had piled up all his other household goods so they wouldn't be damaged by floods in his absence.

Suprapto, a resident of Duri Kosambi subdistrict in West Jakarta, said that one of his neighbors and a relative had both entrusted their belongings to him before leaving the city this week for extended periods.

"One room in my house now looks like a showroom, with fans, television sets, refrigerators and even a washing machine," he said.

He said that some of his neighbors were also being entrusted to look after other people's goods. "People seem to be more careful than ever before," he said.

More than one million Jakartans were expected to leave the city ahead of this year's Idul Fitri holiday on Jan. 19 and Jan. 20. So many empty houses are a big attraction for potential burglars.

Governor Sutiyoso recently asked city residents, especially those staying for the Idul Fitri period, to help keep watch on the empty houses of their neighbors.

"I hope those staying in the city during the holidays will also keep an eye on their neighbors' empty houses," he told reporters during a breaking of the fast gathering at his official residence in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

"If possible don't leave houses entirely empty as... the level of crime has been higher lately than in past years," he warned.

Starting last week, some neighborhood heads sent circulars to residents urging them to inform authorities before leaving the city.

Saul, resident of Pondok Suka Tani Permai housing complex in Bogor, West Java, said that according to the letter, this information was needed by local security guards so they could pay more attention to empty houses.

He said he welcomed the policy, but that donations would be needed to bring the security up to a satisfactory level.

As many residents had already left for home by Friday, traffic in Jakarta's thoroughfares was much smoother, and deserted housing complexes could be seen around the city.

Rubingan, head of the City Council's public relations office, said he could get to his office much quicker on Friday. "It only took me half an hour to get here from my house in Bekasi. On ordinary days it takes an hour," he said.

Uki, who lives in Griya Lembah Depok housing complex in Depok, to the south of here, said that about half of the complex's residents had left the city.

"There are fewer children playing in the streets and fewer women chatting in the afternoon," she said.

The scene Uki described matched that in Batu Ampar, East Jakarta, where many residents are originally from other areas in West Java, and indeed is a common sight throughout the capital at the moment. (ind)