Modus Operandi of Iron Fence Thieves at Kampung Melayu Park Revealed

Jakarta - The Jatinegara Police have revealed the modus operandi used by a group of thieves who stole iron fences from a park under the Kampung Melayu flyover in East Jakarta, having carried out the crime more than five times. “They have done this more than five times at the same location. The group is from a particular ethnic group. We will not mention which one,” said Jatinegara Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head AKP Eko Bayu at the Jatinegara Police Station on Wednesday. The group’s method was to commit the crime just before dawn, when the location was quiet. “Based on their confession, they acted just before dawn. That time was chosen because the location is relatively quiet, making it easier to transport the iron fences,” Bayu said. From the investigation into the five perpetrators, police arrested a man with the initials CAT (30) who lived under the flyover in Kampung Melayu on Tuesday around 1 p.m. Western Indonesia Time. The suspect was apprehended at the Kampung Melayu Terminal while eating at a warteg (food stall). “Based on the suspect CAT’s confession, his last involvement in the theft of the park’s iron fences was three days ago,” Bayu stated. For his actions, the suspect will be charged under Article 477 of the Criminal Code concerning aggravated theft, which carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years. Bayu added that the examination of CAT revealed the stolen iron fences from the Kampung Melayu flyover park had already been sold in the Senen area, Central Jakarta. “According to the suspect, the goods have been sold to Senen. We are currently investigating this to find the evidence and the party who received the goods,” he said. He noted that police have not yet been able to seize the evidence because all the iron fences have changed hands. Nonetheless, investigators are continuing to develop the case. “A week ago, the fence was still there, but in the last three or four days it has disappeared, the thieves were very quick to take it,” said a local resident named Ana (38) at the Kampung Melayu flyover on Tuesday. She recounted that the perpetrators acted openly at certain times without arousing residents’ suspicions. The group, numbering more than five people, carried out their actions just before dawn or in the afternoon. Residents who witnessed the activity initially thought the perpetrators were officials carrying out dismantling or maintenance work on the park facilities. Ana also admitted to once seeing the group carrying tools such as crowbars and hammers to remove the iron fences. After being dismantled, the iron pieces were immediately transported using a bajaj that was waiting nearby.