Officers accused of robbery

TANGERANG: Claiming to be searching for a teak thief, seven men who identified themselves as police officers allegedly stole Rp 4 million (US$470), a cell phone and a watch from four kerosene vendors in Bojong Nangka village, Legok district, Tangerang, late on Friday.

The men are also alleged to have assaulted the vendors, identified as Nurichsan, Asmadi, Trisno and Dohiri. They reportedly threw Dohiri, who works for the Moch. Ali Idris Batubara Kerosene Agency, into their Kijang van and dumped him on the side of the toll road in Maruya, Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, at about 2 a.m. in just his underpants.

Nurichsan said he and his colleagues were watching television at their rental house on Jl. Guntur at about 11 p.m. when the seven men barged in.

"They said they were police officers ... and they suspected that we were harboring a teak thief and wanted us to lead them to the thief."

Nurichsan said that after an argument, one of the alleged officers pointed a gun at them and asked them to tell them the whereabouts of a wanted gambler.

The men then searched the house and stole some cash and other belongings.

"I tried to stop them but they dragged me into the minivan. I was beaten up along the way in the minivan and they stripped me," Dohiri said.

Tangerang Police chief Sr. Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said the police were investigating the case. -- JP