Police arrest 10 alleged container robbers in raids

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)