Police fail to tackle auto theft

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

Although the Tangerang Police have had success in solving murder and burglary cases, they have made little headway in solving auto theft cases.

The latest monthly police report reveals that of the 34 reported cases of motorcycle and car theft between May 1 and June 7, only six arrests pertaining to four cases have been made and two motorcycles and one car recovered. The report did not specify the type of vehicles seized.

Most cases of street robbery also remain open, with only eight of 17 reported cases between the same period being solved and 17 suspects, two of whom were killed when resisting arrest, apprehended.

Most robbery suspects were armed with sharp weapons to threaten their victims. Six used firearms.

Tangerang detectives, on the other hand, had have a 100 percent success rate in solving the two murders in the regency during the five weeks, with suspects in both cases awaiting trial.

Of the 25 reported cases of burglary, the police apprehended 32 suspects in 20 cases and confiscated various pieces of evidence, such as televisions, notebook computers, consumer goods stolen from a supermarket and a slaughtered water buffalo stolen alive on May 5 from a buffalo trader.

Within the same period, Tangerang Police also raided 31 small gambling dens, arrested 45 suspected den operators and players and confiscated Rp 2.42 million (US$269), as well as two books on interpreting dreams used by gamblers to find lucky numbers.