Police detectives shoot dead alleged officer-turned-thief

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta Police detectives shot dead a former police officer who was caught red-handed trying to break into a car parked on Jl. Dadap in Cengkareng subdistrict, West Jakarta, at midnight on Tuesday.

South Jakarta Police chief of detectives Capt. Rycko Amelza Daniel said the officer, identified as 33-year-old First Sgt. Sutarto, had allegedly masterminded a series of recent car thefts in South Jakarta.

"He was a leader of a gang of car thieves that has been the chief target of police operations. This operation was led by First Lt. Firman Noorsya, chief of the crime and violence unit," Rycko told reporters.

He said Sutarto's accomplices, identified as Heru, Kastoni and Wastam, were arrested after the shooting.

Rycko said they had to finally aim at Sutarto's body after he resisted arrest and struggled to get away.

Sutarto died on the way to Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta, he said.

Police found two T-shaped keys, one sickle, Sutarto's police ID card No. 660-601-02 and Rp 204,000 on Sutarto.

On Oct. 11, South Jakarta resident Kevin Renaldo reported to police that his car had been stolen on Jl. Wijaya I, Kebayoran Baru subdistrict, South Jakarta.

Kevin said he had been asked to get out of his car after a thief showed Kevin his police ID. Kevin got out of the car, only to have the police officer drive off in it.

When Kevin was shown a picture of Sutarto -- who had been released of all police duties as of October 1998 -- Kevin immediately identified him as the thief.

Non-commissioned officer

The military police, who handed Sutarto's body over to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital's morgue on Wednesday morning, said Sutarto was a non-commissioned officer at the Karawang Police station, West Java.

"He was a former police officer," the officer said.

Sutarto, estimated at 1.75 meters in height, was shot three times: once in the leg and twice in the abdomen. One of the abdomen wounds had blue marks circling it. The bullet had exited the body through the back. The dark skinned body had no tattoos.

Sutarto was wearing a blue checkered shirt, a brown and black leather jacket and a pair of brown combat trousers when he was shot. (ylt/01)