Mysterious Hooded Man's Arson Spree Continues in Bandung-Cimahi

Over the past nearly two weeks, suspected arson attacks with unclear motives and apparently random targets have been carried out by an unidentified person in Bandung and Cimahi, West Java.

Previously, the mysterious arson attacks targeted the Andir and Astanaanyar areas of Bandung as well as the neighbouring city of Cimahi.

This week, the perpetrator, believed to be the same individual, struck in Cijerah sub-district, Bandung. Cijerah is also known as one of the border areas between Bandung and Cimahi.

As with previous incidents, the latest event occurred in the early hours of the morning in a residential area of Cijerah on Sunday (9/8). CCTV footage showing the perpetrator’s movements has since gone viral on social media.

According to detikJabar, residents stated that the perpetrator set fire to several objects, including a motorcycle, clothes hanging out to dry, and a car cover belonging to local residents.

Bandung Kulon Police Chief, Kompol Taufik, confirmed that his office had received the report and was conducting intensive follow-up investigations.

“It is being followed up; the incident occurred a few days ago,” said Taufik on Wednesday (12/8).

He confirmed the suspected similarity in the perpetrator’s characteristics and modus operandi with the series of arson cases that had previously occurred in other areas of Bandung-Cimahi.

“It is suspected to be linked to the Andir case,” he said.

He said police personnel had gathered additional evidence at the scene and were conducting a crime scene investigation to uncover the motive behind the serial attacks.

The mysterious hooded man’s characteristics

The mysterious arson attacks have repeatedly occurred in several corners of Bandung in recent times, and the perpetrator has not yet been identified. However, the characteristics and modus operandi are believed to be the same: a man wearing a black hooded jacket or sweatshirt, carrying a backpack, and operating in the early hours of the morning.

The motive remains mysterious, as the targets are believed to be random. Another notable aspect is that the locations of the attacks are in areas of Bandung and Cimahi that border each other or are not far apart.

The first known incidents came to light on Jalan Ria, Cimahi, and in Maleber, Andir sub-district, Bandung, on Friday (31/7) and Sunday (2/8). Both attacks were carried out in the early hours of the morning.

The acts were captured on CCTV, and the fires did not grow large because they were quickly extinguished by passers-by moments later.

In Cimahi, viral footage showed a man setting fire to a street vendor’s cart stored in the shophouse area of Jalan Ria, Cimahi sub-district, Central Cimahi, Cimahi City.

According to detikJabar, the CCTV footage of the arson in the satellite city of Bandung is believed to have occurred on Friday (31/7). The suspected arsonist was wearing a hooded sweatshirt covering his head while carrying a backpack.

Sriyono (45), the owner of the meatball cart that was set alight, said his business equipment did not suffer severe damage because the fire was quickly noticed by residents passing by the scene.

“I found out on Saturday morning, when I was about to start selling. I don’t really know why someone would want to burn my cart; hopefully the perpetrator is caught soon,” said Sriyono.

Meanwhile, Agung Kurniawan, the owner of a dim sum and fried chicken cart, told a similar story. He did not know who would be so cruel as to burn the cart he used to earn a living.

Cimahi Police Public Relations Head, Iptu Gofur Supangkat, said his office had conducted an investigation and crime scene processing related to the burning of several vendors’ carts in the Jalan Ria area.

“The information has been received and followed up by officers who checked and processed the crime scene. We are conducting an investigation,” said Gofur earlier this week, as quoted by detikJabar.

In Bandung, the first known incident involved the burning of an Indonesian flag displayed at a house in Maleber sub-district, Andir. The area is also known as a border area between Bandung and Cimahi to the west.

The act, carried out in the early hours of Sunday (2/8), was captured on CCTV, and clips of it went viral on social media. Local police have since intervened to investigate the suspected arson.

“We are still investigating the incident,” said Andir Police Chief Kompol Triyono Raharja in Bandung on Monday (3/8), as quoted by detikJabar.

From the circulating video, a man wearing a black hoodie and carrying a backpack walked through an alley and directly set fire to a flag in front of a resident’s house. The house is located in an alley not far from the main Bandung-Cimahi road.

However, the fire did not grow large because it was successfully extinguished by a resident who happened to pass by moments later.

The homeowner, Mia (61), said she was grateful that a passer-by managed to extinguish the fire that had engulfed the Indonesian flag displayed in front of her house.

“If no one had been there, the fire would have spread to the house,” she said.

She also said that police from Andir Police Station had visited her home to conduct an examination.

A similar incident also occurred in the Karasak area, Astanaanyar sub-district, on Tuesday (4/8) at around 2.40 a.m. The Astanaanyar area is in central Bandung and borders Andir to the east.

An unidentified person with the same characteristics as at the Andir and Cimahi crime scenes set fire to a building, causing a blaze. According to detikJabar, the Bandung Fire and Rescue Service had to be deployed to extinguish the fire.

From circulating CCTV footage, a man wearing a black hoodie, a mask, and a backpack appeared to ignite a building. After the perpetrator left the scene, flames soon emerged and residents gathered at the location.

Astanaanyar Police Chief Kompol Fetrizal confirmed that the perpetrator had the same characteristics as the one at the Andir and Cimahi crime scenes. The homeowner who was the victim of the arson has filed an official report with the police.

Bandung Police statement

Responding to these incidents, Bandung Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head AKBP Anton said that the investigation into the incidents was ongoing.

“Regarding yesterday’s incident, there was a suspected flag burning in the early hours of the morning; an investigation is currently underway,” said Anton on Wednesday (5/8).

When asked about the arson attacks being carried out more than once in different locations, Anton could not yet confirm this.

“Indeed, there are indications of similarity with another crime scene in the Astana Anyar police area as well. But we are still confirming whether it is the same perpetrator or not,” he said.