Man shot dead in attempted robbery

JAKARTA (JP): East Jakarta police detectives are searching for three suspects in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in a robbery attempt on Saturday morning in Pondok Gede.

East Jakarta Police chief Col. Fabanxio identified the victim as Anton Pudjaja, 69, who was shot in an attempted mugging when he was trying to open the doors of his lubricants store on Jl. Raya, Pondok Gede.

"We are still investigating the incident. We hope to find the three men who did this to Anton soon," Fabanxio said at the crime scene.

"Police found a .22 caliber bullet at the scene. The registration number on a minivan at the scene belonged to another car, a Mazda sedan, and not a Suzuki Espass minivan," he said.

Anton's driver, Ujang, said that at about 6:30 a.m. a blue Suzuki Espass minivan with registration number B 2702 YZ, stopped in front of Anton's store.

"Two men got out of the minivan, while the other one stayed behind the wheel.

"One of the men who got out came up to Anton, asking about tires and prices of different lubricants. The other man suddenly caught hold of me round my neck, pointing a sickle at it. The man who was speaking with Anton took out a gun and pointed it at him," Ujang said.

"That man then shot my boss in the neck when he saw Hendra, my boss's son, who came out of the house upon hearing the argument."

Local residents also ran to the scene when they heard the gunshot, which frightened the suspects. (ylt/06)