Mobile phone vendors robbed

BEKASI: Two mobile phone vendors were robbed in separate incidents on Monday and Tuesday by robbers armed with sickles, who made off with Rp 15 million (US$1,632) and Rp 12 million worth of goods, respectively.

Police said on Wednesday that Akhin, 40, was taking an employee, 21-year-old Ngarawati, home on his motorcycle after selling mobile phones and refill vouchers in Bantar Gebang on Tuesday evening.

At Ngarawati's house, four robbers on two motorcycles surrounded the victims and grabbed a bag containing mobile phones, vouchers and cash. They slashed Akhin across his head and arm with a sickle before fleeing.

Akhin was taken to Mitra Keluarga Hospital by residents.

On Monday, Mohammad Jafar Sidik, 22, a resident of Kongsi, Cikarang, was robbed in a similar manner.

The mobile phone seller was passing through Tanjung Baru village in Cikarang on his way home on Monday at about 9:30 p.m. when four robbers on two motorcycles attacked him. Sidik's arm was slashed with a sickle when he resisted the robbers, who fled with his bag. -- Antara