Metromini driver foils daytime robbery
Metromini driver foils daytime robbery
JP/3/Robbery
Metromini driver foils daytime robbery
JAKARTA (JP): A driver of Metromini minibus plying the Pulo
Gadung--Pulau Gebang route foiled a robbery by five thugs aboard
his bus by swerving it towards a police station yesterday
morning.
"We really appreciate the bravery that he (the driver)
displayed," said Maj. Tjokorde Suyasa, chief of the Cakung
police, yesterday.
Tjokorde said the robbery, the second affecting minibus in a
week, happened at around 11.30 a.m. It happened on the Metromini
minibus driven by Suranto, 30, a resident of Kampung Bojong
Rangkong, Pulau Gebang subdistrict, Cakung district, East
Jakarta.
As the bus approached the Cakung toll road gate en route to
Pulau Gebang, the five criminals, which sat among the 25
passengers, rose to commandeer the bus.
"Nobody move. Give up all your belongings," the five men
shouted at the bus passengers, as quoted by Tjokorde.
While some criminals kept their hands at their waists, as if
to show that they had sharp weapons tucked away there, the others
started to frisk all passengers.
"It's not known yet if the criminals actually had weapons or
if they were just bluffing," said Tjokorde.
After driving a bit further, Suranto quickly swerved the bus
to the Cakung police station and jumped off, shouting for help.
The criminals tried to run away but police managed to capture
one of them. He was identified as Endang Suriana, 22, a jobless
East Jakarta resident.
Desperate
"We already know the identities of the other suspects from him
(Endang)," said Tjokorde.
According to Tjokorde, only one passenger, named Anto
Supriyanto, a student of a vocational highschool, claimed to have
been robbed of Rp 5,000 (US$2.3) by the gang.
Yesterday's robbery appeared to be a desperate venture since
it was pulled off during daylight hours while the military was
running the large-scale, anti-crime Operation Cleansing involving
16,700 personnel. The operation has been in effect since Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Latief Rabar, spokesman for the city police, said
yesterday that a recent survey conducted by the national police
headquarters showed that the East Jakarta was the region with the
highest crime rate nationwide.
On Tuesday morning a public bus robbery had also took place in
the mayoralty.
Eight criminals hijacked a Kopaja minibus which was leaving
from the Kampung Rambutan terminal at around 4.30 am and made off
with 64 grams of gold jewelry and Rp 500,000 ($233.9) in cash
which they took from the passengers. The bus was on its way to
Tanah Abang.
One of the passengers was reportedly wounded while protecting
his property.
The East Jakarta police however nabbed three of the thugs on
the following day. (jsk)