Police set up teams against street racers

JAKARTA: The city police established 18 teams to stop illegal street racing, which has become a common sight across the capital, with a new twist during Ramadhan.

Traffic police chief Sr. Comr. Djoko Susilo said on Wednesday that the teams were comprised of personnel from all precincts and four teams from his office.

The street racing, both cars and motorcycles, normally takes place around midnight along Jl. Asia Afrika, Jl. Benyamin Sueb, Jl. Gajah Mada, Jl. Buncit, Jl. Pramuka and Jl. Matraman.

However, this month, the racers have apparently made a new schedule and do it after the pre-dawn meal at around 4 a.m.

"We have to stop this because it may harm others on the road," he said.

Djoko acknowledged that although the police had confiscated hundreds of motorcycles without documents and thousands of documents from motorcycles used in illegal races this year, they had yet to deter the racers from going back to the streets.

"We encourage parents to watch over their children," he added. -- Antara