Indian National Arrested for Snatch Theft in Menteng Becomes Suspect, Faces Seven Years in Prison

Police have arrested an Indian national for snatch theft in the Menteng area of Central Jakarta. The perpetrator, identified as NJ (37), has now been named a suspect and is being held in police custody.

Chief of the Criminal Investigation Unit at the Central Jakarta Metropolitan Police, AKBP Sang Ngurah Wiratama, said the suspect has been charged under Article 477 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code.

“The perpetrator committed aggravated theft under the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison,” said Sang Ngurah at a press conference at the Central Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters on Monday (7/9/2026).

Sang Ngurah said suspect NJ was caught after police analysed CCTV footage. The results of facial recognition led them to NJ, who is also a repeat offender.

“After we analysed it and matched it against the face recognition data held by the police identification unit, it pointed to a repeat offender with the initials NJ,” he added.

Furthermore, Wira stated that the motive behind NJ’s actions was economic. The perpetrator carried out the crime together with a suspect identified as RK, who is still being pursued by police.

“The motive was economic — that is why the individual committed the act,” he said.

Earlier, Chief of the Central Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Kombes Reynold EP Hutagalung, said the incident occurred on Friday (4/9) at around 07:00 Western Indonesian Time. At the time, the victim was walking from a hotel to a place of worship in the Menteng area.

“At the scene, the victim’s mobile phone was forcibly snatched by two people riding together on a motorcycle. After taking the item, they immediately fled,” said Reynold.

After receiving a report, a joint team from the Central Jakarta Metropolitan Police Criminal Investigation Unit and the Menteng Police Station’s Mobile Detective Unit traced the case based on field evidence and CCTV footage. As a result, one perpetrator with the initials NJ was successfully arrested in the Central Jakarta area on Sunday (6/9/2026) at around 01:30 Western Indonesian Time.

Officers also seized several pieces of evidence, including CCTV footage, a helmet, clothing, and the motorcycle believed to have been used in the crime. Reynold explained that police are still pursuing the other perpetrator as well as tracing individuals suspected of receiving the stolen goods.