Police looking for taxi robber

Police looking for taxi robber

JAKARTA (JP): Police are searching for a man who reportedly beat a taxi driver and ran away with his vehicle, Rp 75,000 (US$34.88) in cash and several documents.

"We have yet to identify him, but there are strong indications that the suspect still has the stolen vehicle and is in the area," Maj. Guntur, head of the crime investigation unit of the Tangerang police precinct, said here yesterday.

The victim, Marwani, 28, a resident of Kampung Tengah, Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, was hospitalized and is in serious condition with severe wounds to the back of his neck.

"He is in such great pain he still can't speak properly. It's therefore hard for us to get more information from him about the suspect's identity," Guntur explained.

The incident occurred at around 15:30 Sunday, when Marwani, a driver of the privately-owned Blue Bird transportation firm, picked up a well-groomed passenger near the IAIN Islamic college in Ciputat, South Jakarta.

The passenger asked the driver to take him to the golf course at Bumi Serpong Damai in Tangerang.

As they were approaching the golf course, the passenger asked Marwani to look at the taxi meter and tell him the amount of the fare.

"When Marwani looked at the meter, the passenger suddenly hit him on the back of the neck with a wooden block," Guntur quoted the victim as saying.

After robbing Marwani of his cash and documents, the suspect then threw him out of the car and sped away.

Marwani was later found by passers-by, who then reported to the police and rushed the victim to the Tangerang hospital.

The missing Blue Bird taxi displays door number 642 and license plate number B 1642 SX. (bsr)