Police arrest alleged kidnappers

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta Police detectives arrested four men on Thursday on charges of kidnapping an alleged gambling boss over unpaid debts and holding him hostage in a hotel in the Mangga Dua area for the past three days.

Central Jakarta Police chief of detectives, Adj. Comr. Angesta Romano Yoyol, alleged that Albert, 39, was kidnapped by three men in their early 20s, identified as Adrianus, Hari Mardan, and Lukas.

"The three alleged kidnappers said that they were ordered by their boss to take Albert hostage and put him up in a hotel, until he agreed to pay up his debts," Yoyol told reporters.

He added that the arrest was made following a tip from a supervisor with the Harco Hotel in Mangga Dua, Central Jakarta. He informed the police that something strange was happening in the hotel as some men who had booked a room had already changed rooms three times over the past three days, Yoyol said.

Police arrived at the hotel about 9 a.m. on Thursday to investigate.

Yoyol said that Albert had told him he was a gambling boss who usually operated in the Bandengan Utara area of North Jakarta.

Albert, Yoyol said, allegedly owed a man named Ramli some Rp 46 million (US$3865) and was supposed to have paid up by 5 a.m. on April 23, which he failed to do.

As a result, he was held in the Harco hotel.

"The three kidnappers have said that they were each paid Rp 50,000 per day to take care of Albert by one of Ramli's main men."

Yoyol said that police are still investigating the case. (01/ylt)