Officer shot dead in Rp 200m robbery

JAKARTA (JP): A police officer was shot dead in a Rp 200 million (US$17,857) robbery right in front of the Bouraq Airlines Headquarters on Jl. Bungur Besar Raya in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on Thursday afternoon.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob said the dead officer, Brig. Marsito, 35, of the Kalideres police subprecinct in West Jakarta, was escorting Suhardjo, 38, an employee of PT Parimas Murni Money Changer, to the Bank Central Asia (BCA) branch on Jl. Bungur Besar in Kemayoran.

Sofjan said that Marsito had been shot at least three times in the chest by four robbers on two motorcycles at about 3:30 p.m.

"This is really terrible and it makes me very angry," Sofjan told reporters on Thursday evening.

According to Suhardjo's testimony, Sofjan said, after withdrawing the money Suhardjo and Warsito were driving a Toyota Kijang van to the former's office on Jl. Pangeran Jayakarta, Central Jakarta, when their van was hemmed in by two Yamaha RX King motorcycles.

"The robbers didn't even bother to threaten us. They just shot into the left (front) side of the van three times. That's where Marsito was sitting. Suhardjo, who was driving the van, was lucky. He immediately ducked when he heard the shots being fired."

Marsito, who had been escorting Suhardjo on money withdrawal trips for over a year, died on his way to the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital.

Police removed two bullets found in the Kijang van and Marsito's Colt revolver, which he never had a chance to use against his attackers. (ylt)