Man beaten to death by crowd

JAKARTA: A man was beaten to death by residents of Selang Tengah, Bekasi, for allegedly stealing electronic appliances, Bekasi police said on Friday.

The man, Guntur, 30, was caught by Tatang, a resident of Selang Tengah, stealing a VCD player, television, speakers and clothes from a neighbor's house, Second Brig. Harun told Antara.

After being confronted by Tatang, Guntur dropped the items and began to run. Tatang immediately alerted other residents, who started chasing Guntur.

When he failed to give an adequate explanation to the residents, they began punching him and assaulting him with various weapons.

He was killed when one of the mob stabbed him in the stomach.

The case is being processed at the Bekasi sector police station, while the man's body undergoes an examination at the Kramat Jati police hospital in East Jakarta. --JP