Man shot to death in motorcycle robbery

BOGOR (JP): A group of four robbers shot their victim in the head, killing him, before stealing his motorcycle in the Gunung Putri district here early on Sunday morning.

Police said the victim, Eko, 27, a steel factory worker and resident of the Bukit Griya Indah Jaya housing complex in Gunung Putri, and his wife Indarti, were traveling home on Jl. Raya Kampung Kedep when thieves riding two motorcycles stopped them.

Both Eko and Indarti work for the same company on Jl. Raya Narogong in Cileungsi.

"The couple had met up with colleagues at the factory on Saturday evening for regular pencak silat martial arts training. We were all hanging out until early Sunday morning," one of Eko's colleagues, Andrian, told reporters at the Red Cross Hospital in Bogor.

Andrian said the couple left for home at about 5 a.m. on Eko's Suzuki Shogun motorcycle.

"During their ride home, Indarti felt that they were being followed," Andrian said.

Quoting Indarti, another colleague, Dede, said that four people, on two Yamaha RX King motorcycles, suddenly came out of nowhere and tried to block the path of Eko's motorcycle.

"One man put a hand on Eko's shoulder and then shot him in the head and killed him. After seeing that, Indarti immediately fainted," Dede said.

Gunung Putri police subprecinct chief First. Insp. Poniman said that his officers were still investigating the case.

On Friday, a man was kidnapped by four robbers in front of the McDonalds fast food restaurant on Jl. Gadjah Mada in Central Jakarta. The man was thrown into a van, beaten up and shot in the foot, before being robbed of his wallet and abandoned on Jl. Galur in Pulogadung, East Jakarta.

Jakarta Police records identified the victim as Samuel, 34, a resident of Central Jakarta.

According to Pulogadung police sources, Samuel had received a call on Friday night from a woman, who identified herself as Carolina, asking him to meet her at the restaurant.

"Feeling that he recognized the voice, Samuel went to meet her at McDonalds on Jl. Gadjah Mada, but was disappointed when he could not find the woman anywhere," a police source said on Saturday.

Samuel left the restaurant, but only a few steps away he found himself sandwiched between two men who forced him into a waiting Isuzu Panther van, registration number B 7150 JP. In the van, Samuel saw two other men.

The source said that Samuel was driven around Jakarta, during which he was severely beaten in the face by the robbers and then shot through the left foot.

"Samuel was robbed of his wallet, which contained an automated teller machine (ATM) card and his identification card, and then thrown out on Jl. Galur in Pulogadung.

"The victim screamed for help. When a taxi passed by, he immediately hailed it down and asked to be brought to the nearest military resort command. Officers there escorted him to the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital," the source said.

Another police source said that police were investigating other possible motives behind the crime, as Samuel had not been carrying much money.

"Besides, who would kidnap, throw a man in a good van, then beat him up and shoot him for small money?" the source said. (ylt/21)