Man killed after stealing money

JAKARTA (JP): Angry residents killed one of two thieves caught red-handed stealing money from a car belonging to PT. Ilung Pratama on Jl. Sapta, Tebet, South Jakarta, on Tuesday afternoon.

Tebet police subprecinct chief Comr. Darwawan said the residents were about to set fire to the thief, identified as 32- year old Chandra, a resident Tambora district in West Jakarta, before police stepped in and took him into custody.

"After attacking the thief, residents doused his black-and- blue body with gasoline and were about to set fire to him, but police stopped them and took the suspect to Kramat Jati Police hospital. However, he died on the way," he told The Jakarta Post at his office.

Separately, M. Iskandar Tandi, an employee at PT Ilung Pratama, told the Post at the crime scene that he had just parked the Suzuki Carry minibus and entered his office after withdrawing Rp 5 million (US$455) from Bank BNI on Jl. Supomo, South Jakarta.

After entering his office, Iskandar heard someone crying "thief, thief" and spontaneously chased the suspect, who had taken the money bag from his minibus.

The thief mounted a waiting Suzuki Satria motorcycle, ridden by his partner, but Iskandar managed to grab his collar and force him off the motorcycle.

Iskandar then took his bag from the man and let him run away. Local residents, however, caught the fleeing thief and beat him. The thief's partner managed to escape on the motorcycle. (01)