Police arrest 29 for fresh looting at Harco Plaza

JAKARTA (JP): Marines and security personnel rounded up 29 people looting shops in Harco Plaza, Mangga Dua in North Jakarta early Saturday, police said yesterday.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E Aritonang said the alleged looters were transferred to the city police headquarters Saturday afternoon.

"The police have also received the seized loot to be used as evidence," Aritonang said.

The security forces handed over a truckload of booty to the police that consisted of mainly electronic goods, such as television sets, radios, tape recorders, refrigerators and computers.

About 200 people were plundering the plaza when the marines, based in Gunung Sahari close to the business district, and other security forces arrived after residents reported the incident.

The 29 alleged looters detained by the security forces had no way to escape when the troops fired warning shots and moved into the building, Aritonang said.

The incident is the latest report of looting following the May 13 and May 14 riots in which thousands of shops and malls were plundered and burned.

"The looters ran away with television sets, clothes and other electronic goods from Harco Plaza. Some told us that many more people were still in the plaza, trying to get more stuff," commander of the naval base, Commodore La Ode Dayan, told the media Saturday while recounting the raid.

"By the time we got there, we saw people busily looting the place. Troops guarding nearby areas fired warning shots and the crowd broke up," La Ode said.

Before being handed over to the police, the alleged looters were identified at the naval base and had their heads shaved.

"Please sir, I'm not a criminal. I just wanted to get free stuff for my family," one of the alleged looters said.

Jakarta military spokesman Lt. Col. D.J. Nachrowi told reporters that the authorities would no longer tolerate looting.

"Currently, we are in a very deep economic crisis. People should have the courage to report such criminal acts so that Jakarta can be a safe place," he said.

Aritonang said that of the 1,214 people arrested in connection with the recent riots, over 950 were still being detained for further legal processing.

The alleged looters will be charged under Article 362 and Article 363 of the Criminal Code for looting, carrying a maximum of seven years imprisonment, and Article 187 for arson, which has a maximum sentence of five years.

"Many of the people being arrested are ordinary people who joined the looting because they are poor and had the opportunity to get free stuff, such as food," he said.

"More of those still in detention may be freed because they committed only petty crimes and based on existing laws, their cases could be processed without them being detained," Aritonang added. (edt/ivy)