Petty robber shot dead

JAKARTA (JP): Police fatally shot a purse snatcher on Wednesday following an attempted robbery of a purse belonging to a policeman's wife inside a public minivan.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam identified the robber as Chandra, who was in his 30s.

Police officers shot him in the Pondok Indah area of South Jakarta, at about 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

This man had been caught red-handed trying to steal a purse belonging to Ida Butar Butar, the wife of a Central Jakarta Police officer, Anton said.

"When police tried to arrest Chandra, he tried to escape. So, we shot him."

The robbery occurred inside a M-09 minivan, which plies the Tanah Abang-Kebayoran Lama route. (ylt)