Idul Fitri exodus prompts fears of burglaries

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)