Iranians, Turk arrested for theft

SURABAYA: Police have named two Iranians and a Turk suspects of cellular phone theft in the East Java town of Bojonegoro.

Ali Vadoodi Kharigh bin Aslan, 24, and his Iranian compatriot Behzad Rahim Za'deh, 24, and Safet Kendemir bin Mahmet, 26, of Turkey were arrested on Friday following reports from Reti, a supermarket employee in Madiun, and Rahman, a bank employee in Gresik.

Chief detective Adj. Comr. Masduki said the two witnesses said they lost their phones while shopping in Yoga Cell mobile phone kiosk in Padhangan, Bojonegoro, and noticed that the three foreigners were the only other customers in the kiosk that afternoon.

Police seized three cellular phones as evidence and the suspects' passports, an international driver's license belonging to Kendemir and the vehicle ownership document of a Honda City sedan they had rented in Jakarta.

The police are investigating the case and have notified the suspects' embassies in Jakarta of their arrests. -- JP