Police arrest suspected extortionist after viral Tomang traffic light video

JAKARTA - Police have arrested a man identified as W (26), suspected of extorting and coercing a pickup truck driver at a traffic light in Tomang, Jalan S. Parman, Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta.

The arrest followed footage of the suspect seizing money from the victim going viral on social media.

The extortion incident began on Saturday (23 May) afternoon when the victim, stopped at a traffic light near Tomang toll exit, was approached by the suspect demanding money.

‘The victim initially gave Rp10,000, but the suspect still felt it was insufficient and forcibly took another Rp15,000 from the dashboard,’ said AKP Alexander Tengbunan, Head of Criminal Investigation Unit at Grogol Petamburan Police Station, to journalists in Jakarta on Thursday evening.

The extortion attempt was captured by another driver at the scene, leading to the video going viral and being reported to police.

‘Based on public reports and video evidence, we conducted an investigation and successfully apprehended the suspect without resistance at around 12:30 WIB on Sunday (24 May),’ Alex stated.

The suspect, who resides in the Palmerah area, is now being held at Grogol Petamburan Police Station for intensive questioning and further legal proceedings.

Alex added that the arrest was a swift police response to street thuggery affecting freight drivers in the jurisdiction.

‘These acts of extortion and coercion severely disrupt public order and road user comfort,’ he said.