Police quiz drivers in robbery case

Police quiz drivers in robbery case

Abdul Khalik and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta, Jakarta

Police investigators questioned on Thursday two drivers from taxi
company Blue Bird Group as witnesses in a robbery that took place
on Monday night.

"Yes, we are questioning several witnesses in the case,
including taxi drivers of the Blue Bird Group," city police
spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono told The Jakarta Post.

He did not reveal the identifies of the drivers who were
questioned.

Tjiptono said police had yet to conclude whether the cab used
in the crime belonged to the Blue Bird Group or another company.

In her police complaint, Ellaide Rumiaty Tampubolon, 37, a
resident of Jl. Bangka in Mampang, South Jakarta, said she was
robbed by four people inside a Blue Bird taxi at about 11:45 p.m.
on Monday. She gave the taxi number as JJ 4434.

The Blue Bird Group has denied one of its cabs was involved in
the robbery, saying the taxi in question returned to its pool in
Bintaro, South Jakarta, at 10:17 p.m.

Several other taxi companies have painted their cabs with the
same dark blue color used by Blue Bird, including Simpati taxi
and President taxi.

Ellaide reported that the robbers assaulted her and made off
with Rp 5,074,000 in cash, some of which she was forced to
withdraw from an ATM, US$100, a watch, necklace and a Nokia 6690
cellular phone.

Although this was not the first time a taxi passenger has been
targeted by robbers, the incident caused fresh concern for
residents in the capital, especially those who depend on taxis
for their day-to-day transportation.

"I use taxis every day to get to work and go home because I
cannot use my car with the three-in-one traffic policy. I have no
other choice but take a taxi since I do not trust the safety of
public buses," said Maria Margaretha, an accountant with a
financial company at the Jakarta Stock Exchange building on Jl.
Sudirman.

Lilies, who works in West Jakarta, said she would ask
colleagues, especially men, who travel in the same direction to
share a taxi home with her.

"I do not think it is safe to travel alone at night in a taxi,
especially for women," she said.

Blue Bird Group spokesman Riva Lazuardi said the victim of
Monday's robbery, Ellaide, had visited the company's taxi pool in
Bintaro, South Jakarta, to see the cab in question.

"We also introduced her to the drivers who use that car and
she confirmed that they were not the ones (who robbed her)," he
told the Post.

"This is a criminal act and we will allow the police to find
the culprits."

He added that his company would support the police
investigation in any way it could, including providing any
records needed by investigators.