Man held over shooting

JAKARTA (JP): A 32-year-old businessman was held for questioning after he apparently foiled a robbery attempt at a Bank Central Asia (BCA)'s ATM booth in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, by shooting dead one of the four alleged robbers who threatened him with a sickle, an officer said on Wednesday.

South Jakarta Police chief detective Comr. Napoleon Bonaparte said police had detained businessman Ari Sutanto at the Pondok Indah Police station because the latter was a key suspect in the incident, which took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

"He is now held, not arrested, for questioning regarding the robbery attempt and pistol ownership," Napoleon said.

Quoting Ari's statement, Napoleon said the incident occurred after Ari and his girlfriend, Lisa Maria Pilly or Lisa Patsy, transferred some money from the BCA's ATM located in a shophouse on Jl. Pondok Indah.

"While still inside the ATM booth, they were suddenly surrounded by four men, and one of them brandished a sickle at them," Napoleon told The Jakarta Post.

Instinctively, Ari pulled out his pistol and shot one of the men.

"The man, identified only as KCD, died instantly," the police said, adding that KCD was shot at least four times in his chest, both legs and shoulder.

The three other men fled immediately.

Ari and Lisa, a local television soap opera actress, then rushed to their car and left the scene.

According to Napoleon, police identified Ari a few hours later as they found his ATM card in the booth.

Ari admitted the pistol was his and that he had the license for it.(emf)