Link found between money changer heists
JAKARTA (JP): The Sunday robbery at Tritama Valasindo money changer in Central Jakarta may have been committed by members of the same group that raided another money changer's office two days earlier, a police officer said yesterday.
"There's a strong connection between the two cases. We have some clues, but we can't reveal them now as it will scare the suspects away," head of South Jakarta Police detective unit Maj. Rycko A. Daniel told reporters.
Eyewitnesses and police said that a group of eight men armed with sharp weapons broke into the Tritama office on the second floor of a four-story shop-house on Jl. Teuku Cik Di Tiro at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday.
Witnesses said the robbers escaped in two Kijang vans with a safety box containing cash in different currencies valued at some Rp 700 million (US$43,750) after severely wounding a police patrol officer, Sgt. Maj. Bambang D., 35, who was trying to block the robbers' way.
"In the strongbox there was Rp 140 million in Indonesian rupiah and notes of various currencies, such as U.S., Australian and Singapore dollars, which altogether totaled about Rp 700 million," Surya Wijaya of Tritama told The Jakarta Post.
On midday Friday at the Bali Inter money changer on Jl. Mahakam in South Jakarta, a group of four robbers armed with guns shot a cashier dead and wounded a passerby. The group left the scene with Rp 60 million cash after opening fire in various directions to clear a path for their escape.
According to Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna, some witnesses have told investigators that all the robbers at Tritama were attired in military-style uniforms.
"But we cannot make wild accusations because anybody could have worn such uniforms," Iman said.
As of yesterday afternoon, police officer Bambang, whose head was slashed with a sickle by one of the robbers, is improving at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital.
As part of the efforts to trace the whereabouts of the suspects in the Bali Inter daylight robbery, the South Jakarta Police have released descriptions of two of the four alleged robbers.
Head of South Jakarta Police Lt. Col. Yudi Sushariyanto said that one of the men is rather chubby, has long hair, wore a black leather jacket and could have an open wound on the right side of his neck.
"We believe that his neck was gashed when some windows broke, and some of the witnesses said that he was the one who held a long rifle.
"Another man is rather tall, about 170 centimeters, has a crewcut, is thin and wore a red-and-white Marlboro jacket. He was reportedly carrying an FN gun," Yudi said.
Police have circulated these preliminary descriptions of the robbers throughout the city.
"We have informed drug stores, pharmacies, clinics and hospitals, just in case the suspects show up. We're trying the best we can to inhibit the robbers' movements," he said after attending a discussion of the case at his office.
"If anyone sees these men, please report it to a nearby police post or the South Jakarta Police at 7206011," Yudi urged.
He also stated that experts at the National Police Forensic Laboratory have identified the guns used in the midday robbery.
"They used AK-47 rifles and FN Tokarev guns. We found bullet casings at the scene and four bullets, one of which was inside the victim's body," Yudi said, adding that the AK-47 is one of the military's official guns.
So far, police have confiscated two tennis bags believed to have been used by the robbers to carry the guns and bullets.
Twelve witnesses have been questioned, mostly employees and security guards of the money changer and the nearby Mahakam drug store.
Friday's robbery resulted in the death of I Gusti Kade, 27, a cashier at Bali Inter and left a passerby, Irwan Rinaldi, 18, in critical condition. Irwan is being treated at Pertamina Hospital, South Jakarta.
Witnesses said they sped off on two RX Kings motorcycles which they had parked at a nearby flower shop. (edt)