Police arrest 50 three-in-one passengers

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested at least 50 people, mostly teenagers, offering their services as passengers for a fee during restricted traffic hours.

In line with an existing three-in-one traffic regulation, a car is only allowed to enter major thoroughfares, including Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Jl. M.H. Thamrin and Jl. Gatot Subroto, if it has at least three passengers.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said on Thursday that raids were launched in response to escalating crime allegedly committed by hired passengers.

Aritonang said a number of people complained about missing items, allegedly stolen by hired passengers they brought in their cars with them.

Motorists, who drive alone or only with one passenger, feel compelled to pick up passengers.

"City Police has been conducting a one-week raid on these passengers for the past two days," Aritonang said on Thursday.

Out of 50 arrested passengers, police confiscated mobile phones, credit cards and handbags after they frisked the suspects at City Police Headquarters.

Aritonang said that police were still trying to find the real owners of the recovered valuables.

Police also seized several sharp weapons from passengers, Aritonang said, adding that four who had weapons were held for further questioning.

There were many drivers who were cheated by wrongdoing passengers, but some of them hesitated in reporting the crimes to the police, he said.

Aritonang said that many victims had preferred to forget the incident or immediately called their banks to cancel credit cards instead of going to the police.

He said that the police were also investigating the possibility that people acted as coordinators for the passengers.

The hired passengers were arrested after they got into cars.

Aritonang said that most hired passengers came from suburb areas, including Tangerang. (cst)