Police arrest 10 alleged container robbers in raids

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested 10 men believed to be members of the two most wanted container robbery gangs which preyed on cargo trucks headed to destinations across Java.

"During interrogation, the suspects, who specialize in cargo robberies, admitted to having committed some 30 to 50 thefts this year, mostly on trailers on toll roads and streets between Jakarta and other cities in West and Central Java," North Jakarta police chief Lt. Col. Setyanto said on Monday.

The men were apprehended in separate raids over the past 10 days, he added.

Police are still calculating material losses from the thefts, but Setyanto estimated the amount at hundreds of billions of rupiah.

Four of the suspects -- identified as Mistono alias Encuh, Suryadi alias Sur bin Kasid, Ahmad bin Ismat and Tamrin Simbolon -- were apparently members of a gang led by Kadim, who is still at large, Setyanto said.

"The four aged between 24 and 46 years were arrested at different cities in West Java, including Sukabumi, Cirebon and Indramayu between Aug. 24 and Aug. 30," he said.

"The four other members of Kadim's group are still at large. But we already have their identities: Yunus, Budiman, Safrizal and Edy Mulyana."

Kadim's gang duped container drivers into stopping by pretending to be policemen.

"By acting as policemen they stopped the drivers. If the drivers refused to give them the cargo, they forced them and hijacked the freight.

"But if the drivers were willing to cooperate, they would unload the cargo elsewhere and give some money to the drivers."

The robbers usually took three quarters of the cargo.

Police seized police uniforms, complete with a badge enscribed with "Polda Metro Jaya" (Jakarta police headquarters), a machete, sickle and a gray Kijang van bearing license plate F 1144 FN.

"Kadim's group admitted to having stolen containers from major electronics manufacturers, including PT Aiwa and PT Samsung. They took air conditioners, television sets, computers, radios and a bunch of other valuable items," Setyanto said.

The gang also stole tons of shoes bearing trademarks of Adidas, Nike and Reebok and clothing of various popular brand names.

"They said they had already forgotten about the items they stole because they were too many," he said.

The six other arrested suspects were members of a second group, led by Husein, 33. Information of their whereabouts was received from Kadim's gang.

Husein and his five accomplices -- Zaenuddin Ipay alias Udin, Enda, Sukatmo, Mahmudin and Mujiono -- were captured in separate raids in Semper, North Jakarta, between Thursday and Sunday night.

Police are seeking four other members of the gang identified as Oji, Daeng, Engkus and Suwirno.

The group specialized in robbing containers filled with various materials, including carpets, garments, instant noodles and plastic commodities.

"Police believe all the suspects are part of a huge freight robbery network. Why? Because their methods are considered sophisticated and organized," Setyanto said.

Husein's gang admitted to having committed at least five freight robberies on toll roads connecting Jakarta and Bandung by hijacking the trucks and emptying the contents.

The officer quoted the arrested suspects as saying that each of them received between Rp 2 million and Rp 4 million after each theft.

All of the suspects are currently detained at the North Jakarta Police precinct. (edt)