Number of city's crime black spots doubles

JAKARTA (JP): The number of crime black spots in the capital doubled from 31 in July to 60 last month as the result of a growing sense of desperation setting in among the segment of the city's population recently forced into life below the poverty line, an official has said.

Tongam Tambunan, a senior executive of the city's public order office, said on Wednesday that areas vulnerable to street robberies and extortion would continue to increase for as long as poverty continued to advance through the city in leaps and bounds.

He said that forthcoming data on poverty in the capital in November would show a substantial jump in the number of poor families from the October figure of 57,218 families or 228,900 individuals.

"This will force more desperate people onto the streets and into a life of crime. Many of the city's junctions and toll roads have already become popular haunts for robbers, extortionists and beggars-turned-extortionists," Tambunan said.

According to preliminary data from his office, new crime black spots in the capital include parts of the Cengkareng-Soekarno Hatta International Airport toll road, the Tanjung Priok-Jembatan Tiga-Pluit toll road, the Pondok Pinang-Jagorawi toll road and certain parts of Lenteng Agung in South Jakarta and Galur in Central Jakarta.

"Other black spots in Central Jakarta include street junctions on Jl. K.S. Tubun in Tanah Abang, parts of Harmoni, Kota and Gambir railway stations, Lapangan Banteng, Sarinah department store, Matraman, Taman Suropati, Gunung Sahari and Senen," Tambunan said.

In West Jakarta, crime black spots include street junctions in Tomang, Grogol, Slipi, and Jl. Daan Mogot and Jl. Kyai Tapa. In East Jakarta, a significant rise in crime has been recorded at junctions in Cililitan, in areas around Taman Mini Indonesia, along Jl. Pemuda and in Klender.

Several streets in the Ancol and Pluit area of North Jakarta have also been classified as black spots.

In South Jakarta, several street junctions in Kuningan, Pondok Labu, Pancoran, the Blok M shopping area and Jl. Sisingamangaraja have also been listed as the favored haunts of street criminals, especially during the hours of darkness.

Tambunan said that governor Sutiyoso had ordered the city's five mayors and other officials to take stern action to stamp out street robberies and extortion in the capital.

The governor has also asked Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman to enlist the security forces into the effort to combat crime.

When contacted on a separate occasion on Wednesday, Sutiyoso confirmed he had issued instructions to his staff and requested the help of the police.

He also said he had been discussing ways to stamp out the rising incidence of crime on toll roads fringing the city with executives from the state toll road operator PT Jasa Marga.

"We need their help. They must report any robberies that take place on the toll roads immediately and they must take immediate action to help the victims and ensure others are adequately warned," Sutiyoso said. (ylt)