Police Investigate Man Spotted with Toy Gun in Ciputat

A man of unknown origin went viral on social media due to his strange behaviour, appearing to conduct surveillance while carrying an object resembling a pistol. Police have now stepped in to investigate who the man actually is.

From the viral video, the man’s location was said to be in Ciputat, South Tangerang. On Friday (14/8/2026), detikcom traced the location to get a clearer picture.

The location of the man with the pistol turned out to be on Jalan RE Martadinata, precisely in front of the Baiturrahman Mosque. The white wall where the man appeared to be spying, as seen in the viral video, is a boundary wall adjacent to the mosque.

The mosque is on the left when walking from Parung towards Ciputat, or precisely after the descent from the Gaplek intersection flyover in Ciputat. The surrounding area is not quiet but is dense with shops and a number of street vendors, one of whom detikcom met, named Rusdi, a flag seller.

Rusdi admitted to having interacted with the mysterious man. What did he say?

“He kept spying near the mosque where there was a pickup truck, he seemed to be watching. Ordinary people who don’t know would be scared,” Rusdi told detikcom.

Rusdi, who has been trading at the location for the past five years, admitted he did not know who the man was even though he often appeared. However, Rusdi concluded that the man was mentally unwell.

“His speech rambled all over the place,” said Rusdi.

Previously, police had also checked the scene. Ciputat Timur Police Chief Kompol Bambang Askar said CCTV around the location had also been reviewed.

“According to residents, it looked like he was playing war games, as if looking for someone, then he walked towards Gaplek. According to the neighbourhood head, it was a toy pistol he had there, a green plastic toy gun,” said Kompol Bambang on Wednesday (12/8).