Police nab two in armed theft

Police nab two in armed theft

JAKARTA (JP): Kebayoran Lama Police subprecinct officers have
arrested two of four men who snatched a bag containing Rp 10.5
million (US$1,400) from a man on Jl. Pupan Pondok Pinang on
Tuesday afternoon.

The South Jakarta Police chief of the violence and crime unit,
First Lt. Sandi Nugroho, identified the victim as Sumarno, 50,
who works as a treasurer at an Islamic elementary school in
Pondok Pinang.

The suspects were identified as Yudhi and Sudiyono.

"One suspect followed Sumarno into the Fatmawati branch of
Bank BNI, from where Sumarno withdrew the money. The suspect
pretended to take a withdrawal slip, filled in the sum of Rp
400,000 and a fake account number before putting the slip into
his pocket," Sandi told reporters.

"The money Sumarno took out was to pay the salaries of 13
school teachers and three employees at the school. There were
four suspects on two motorcycles. When Sumarno screamed for help,
a crowd formed and started to beat both Yudhi and Sudiyono up.
The other two suspects got away."

Sandi and a Mobile Detective (Resmob) team confiscated a
motorcycle with license plate B 3921 ZJ, and are on the lookout
for the other two suspects.

Separately, a weak Sumarno told reporters at the Fatmawati
Hospital in South Jakarta, that he had withdrawn the money from
the BNI bank at about 11:55 a.m.

"I didn't notice anybody following me. After withdrawing the
money, I took a KWK 03, a public transportation van which heads
from Pondok Labu to Kebayoran Lama. I got off at the PGA bus stop
in Pondok Pinang," Sumarno said.

"Just as I got out, someone pushed me hard and I fell down.
When I got up, someone slashed my arm with a sharp machete and it
cut the strap of the bag I was carrying. I fell and a man took
the bag."

"I screamed. Just as the suspect was getting on his
motorcycle, a hardtop jeep hit the motorcycle from behind. The
jeep's driver got out, and joined the crowd in beating up the two
guys on the motorcycle."

"The doctors had to first repair my torn muscles, then I got
more stitches to close the wound ... I hope the police find the
money." (ylt)