More complaints expected about bogus colonel

More complaints expected about bogus colonel

JAKARTA (JP): Bogor police are expecting more reports from
city residents concerning a 25-year-old woman, detained on
charges of cheating at least four illegal taxi operators, three
car showroom owners and a housewife.

"We certainly hope that people who have been cheated by this
suspect will lodge reports at our office along with data and
available material evidence," said chief of the Bogor police
precinct Col. Sjachroedin ZP.

He strongly believes that the female suspect, identified as
FYR binti Alexander, has swindled many people.

She was arrested at the residence of an alleged female
accomplice in Jampangkulon village, Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi,
West Java, over the weekend.

FYR, a resident of the Bumi Jatiwaringin housing complex in
Pondokgede, Bekasi, was arrested by Bogor detectives following a
report made by one of the showroom owners, Sjachroedin said.

Based on preliminary questioning, FYR allegedly confessed that
she disguised herself as a member of the Armed Forces Strategic
Intelligence Board (BAIS) with the rank of lieutenant colonel in
many of her scams, which she has been allegedly carrying out for
the past four months ago.

Like many female military personnel, FYR has short hair.

Based on reports to the police by the victims, she has
collected gold and jewelry and at least Rp 26.6 million
(US$12,175) in cash, mostly from showroom businessmen.

Modus operandi

Based on her confession, she said she first went to owners of
illegal taxis and hired a car.

She then drove the hired car to a car showroom and said she
was a lieutenant colonel from BAIS and badly needed to borrow
cash money for her ailing mother, being treated at a city
hospital, Sjachroedin said.

As a guarantee for the money, FYR would hand over all the
documents of the hired car to the showroom owner.

Preliminary investigations by police have revealed that FYR
allegedly obtained Rp 15 million in cash from Batu Tulis Motor
showroom in Bogor for the exchange of a Honda Corolla sedan.

She allegedly collected Rp 5.5 million for the exchange of a
Suzuki Futura jeep at Indra Motor showroom in Pondokgede, Bekasi.

At the Kalimalang Motor showroom in Bekasi, FYR was able to
convince the owner to lend her Rp 2.75 million. As compensation,
she left a Peugeot 505 sedan which she borrowed from the
Jatiwaringin Motor showroom in Bekasi.

According to FYR, the first two cars she hired from different
illegal taxi operators.

The suspect allegedly managed to convince the owner of the
Batu Rawabening shop to lend her Rp 2.7 million with the
guarantee of a Hijet minivan, which she hired from another
illegal taxi operator.

The suspect, a former university student in Bandung, West
Java, allegedly succeeded in carrying out a scam as a member of a
non-existent committee planning to hold a food contest.

In this disguise, she allegedly cheated the wife of a real
high-ranking officer of the elite red-beret Kopassus corps. FYR
claims she got Rp 650,000 and several pieces of gold jewelry from
the wife of Brig. Gen. Riva'i.

Sjachroedin said his personnel has confiscated Rp 10 million
in cash and a quantity of gold bracelets and rings from the
suspect during the raid on Friday at the Jampangkulon village.

Bogor police are hoping more victims will report their cases
against the suspect immediately in order to strengthen the
charges against her, Sjachroedin said. (bsr)