Police arrest 29 for fresh looting at Harco Plaza
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)