Number of crime areas soaring, official says

JAKARTA (JP): The number of crime spots in the capital has climbed from 60 in November last year to 101 this June as a result of people's growing desperation for money, with more Greater Jakarta residents joining the ranks of the poor, a city official said.

Sularno, a staff member at the city social disturbance control center, said on Tuesday that the increase was a direct consequence of more people losing their jobs during the prolonged economic crisis.

"From the way things are going, I think city streets and the city's intersections have become the last resort for the jobless," Sularno told The Jakarta Post.

"They will beg, steal and do even worse. I ask all city residents to be careful... remember to lock your car doors and if you want to give money to the poor, open the window just a bit. Not too wide," Sularno said.

The number of street children has increased more than fivefold from 12,636 in August last year to 68,688 this June, due to increasing poverty.

Bahar Laut of the city's social and political affairs department said last week the crisis had made the jobless force their children onto the streets to beg.

"People are saying that the economy is slowly recovering... you see these children and you know economic recovery is still a far-off dream," Bahar said.

Toha Reno of the city public order office said recently the increase in street children was due to protests, considered a "money-making opportunity" in Jakarta.

"Since the past year, protests, full-scale riots and looting have been rampant like never before," Toha said.

Data from Sularno's office says crime spots in Central Jakarta include the Taman Suropati intersection, the Gunung Sahari and Tugu Tani intersections, the Galur intersection, the Gadjah Mada area, Jl. Pintu Air and the Rawasari intersection.

Other than old crime spots like Tomang, Lokasari, Hayam Wuruk, Grogol, Slipi, Jl. Daan Mogot and Jl. Kyai Tapa in West Jakarta, new spots include the Jembatan Lima intersection, the Jembatan Merah and Jembatan Dua areas, the Simpang Empat Cengkareng and the Tubagus Angke areas.

In East Jakarta, a rise in crime has been recorded near the Kampung Melayu, Pulogadung and Kampung Rambutan bus terminals, the Cawang intersection, areas around Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and the Matraman area.

Dangerous streets in North Jakarta include those in the Ancol and Pluit area, the Kramat Tunggak red-light district and areas around Sunda Kelapa and Tanjung Priok ports.

Blacklisted areas in South Jakarta, which has 47 crime spots, the highest number in comparison to other mayoralties, include areas around Lebak Bulus bus terminal, around the intersection where the Pemuda "Pizza Man" statue stands, areas around Jl. Santa and Jl. Barito in Kebayoran Baru, Tanah Kusir cemetery, Jl. Trunojoyo, the Prapanca intersection, Jl. Tendean, the Pasar Minggu area, the area around the Pancasila University campus In Lenteng Agung and the Bungur and Cipulir areas in Kebayoran Lama. (ylt)