Pickpocket Syndicate on the Prowl at Jakarta Fair Kemayoran, Police Step In

A video showing a gang of pickpockets in action at the Jakarta Fair (PRJ) at JIEXPO Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, has circulated on social media. In the video uploaded by the Instagram account @jakarta24jam.id, the victim, a woman, is seen browsing items at a booth or stand. Several perpetrators, believed to be part of a syndicate, then approach the victim and steal her mobile phone. “A woman became a victim of pickpocketing at PRJ; the perpetrators acted as a group amidst the crowd,” the post stated. Kemayoran Police Chief Kompol Agung Ardiansyah confirmed the victim has reported the incident to the authorities and the case is currently under investigation. “Yes, the victim has filed a police report at the Central Jakarta Police,” Agung said when confirmed on Monday (15/6). Agung stated that his team is currently conducting a digital forensics process to trace the whereabouts of the victim’s mobile phone. Additionally, the police are undertaking face recording efforts to identify the perpetrators. “We are conducting face recording of facial similarities of the suspected perpetrators from JIExpo CCTV. We are endeavouring to uncover the identities of the suspected perpetrators recorded on the CCTV,” he said.