Kidnappers still insisting on Rp 4b ransom

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

As of Friday evening, kidnappers had yet to release an eight-year-old boy regardless of the fact that the child is in poor health.

The boy's parents were still struggling to find the Rp 4 billion (US$470,588) demanded by the kidnappers.

The parents, who live in Serpong, Tangerang, Banten province, begged the kidnappers to be patient due to the difficulties they faced in getting the money.

"The kidnappers were furious because we could not meet their deadline," the boy's father said.

The boy's mother said that she had told her son not to go to school as had a headache on the day he was abducted.

"But he insisted... and then this happened," she said distraughtly.

The boy was snatched on Wednesday while playing with friends at his elementary school in Serpong.

Supriadi, a driver who was waiting to collect some students, said that two men approached the boy at around 1:30 p.m. and bundled him into a blue Toyota Kijang minivan, license plate number B 7095 NN.

The whole thing was over in seconds -- so fast that bystanders were unable to do anything to help the boy.

The boy's father said he believed the kidnapping was connected with his business as his firm owed debts totaling Rp 4 billion to some 150 creditors.

He said he had been receiving threats ever since his firm found itself unable to meet the deadline for the repayment of the debts.

Serpong Police said that they had yet to receive a report from the parents about the kidnapping.

"We just heard that there had been a kidnapping. However, we haven't received a report from the victim's parents," Serpong Police subprecinct chief Adj. Comr. Kostbar said.

Kostbar had earlier confirmed that the latest kidnapping was not related to a series of kidnappings in North Jakarta, East Jakarta, Bogor and Cianjur, West Java.

The police are still remaining tightlipped about these cases, which were allegedly committed by brothers Deni and Jefry Saputra and some accomplices.

At least six children have been abducted by the serial kidnappers and two of them were brutally raped and murdered even after their parents paid ransoms.

The kidnappers are still holding two children.