Is your used car stolen? Find out for free at police kiosk

JAKARTA (JP): Since opening last February, few people have used the information kiosk at Jakarta Police Headquarters to verify the status of used vehicles they planned to purchase, an officer said on Wednesday.

Jakarta Police traffic chief Sr. Supt. I Nyoman Sukesna said city residents still needed to be informed about the 24-hour free service provided by the information kiosk at the police headquarters on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta.

"If people want to buy a used car or motorcycle with a B plate (for the Jakarta area), they can check here to see whether it is stolen," Nyoman told journalists.

He said all people had to do was provide the car's registration number and chassis and engine numbers. For motorcycles, the registration and engine numbers are required.

"The kiosk will be able to inform them whether the vehicle is stolen or valid within seconds by using computers," he said.

Nyoman said people could also check the status of a vehicle over the telephone by dialing (021) 523-4244.

He said the availability of information on the status of vehicles was expected to reduce the number of stolen vehicles, adding that the city had already seen a decrease since last year.

He said that from January to June this year, the number of stolen vehicles fell to 77 from 151 over the same period last year.

Nyoman said if more people checked on the status of cars and motorcycles before making a purchase, there would be fewer stolen vehicles.

"That's because the link between the robbers and the buyers would be broken," he said, adding that people were becoming increasingly aware about being on the lookout for stolen vehicles.

Nyoman also said that anyone who lost their driver's license could easily obtain a replacement by filing a report at the information kiosk. (08)