Police shoot alleged robber

JAKARTA (JP): Police have shot dead an alleged robber who resisted arrest and tried to attack police officers on Jl. H.O.S Cokroaminoto in Central Jakarta.

No further details of the shooting on Wednesday were available.

A detective from the Menteng Police subprecinct, who did not want to be named, said that the victim, identified as Parlindungan M. Tua, 24, was a suspect in a series of violent robberies.

He said that Parlindungan was involved in the robbery of a Hero supermarket in Menteng on Nov. 2.

On occasions he may also have extorted money from the street vendors along Jl. H.O.S Cokroaminoto, the detective said.

The suspect's relatives refuted the police allegations.

"Parlindungan was not a criminal. Why should he be shot like that," Marihot Simbolon, the victim's aunt, said. He was the third of five children and "a fine young man", she said.

"He liked to invite his friends over to our house just to play guitar and chat. I know what they were doing."

"He was raised in a good family and he was loved by his parents."

Parlindungan had no need to rob or extort money, she said. (cst/04)