Police shoot, arrest car theft suspects

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta police detectives shot dead a car theft suspect and arrested his two accomplices after being caught offering a stolen vehicle to undercover officers on Monday afternoon.

South Jakarta Police Chief of Detectives Maj. Rycko Amelza Daniel identified the dead suspect as Lukman, 40, allegedly a former Army officer, and the other two as Naisafuri Ibra, 36, and Robert, alias Ahmad Fauzi, in his 60s.

"They are longtime players since the late 70s," Rycko told reporters at the crime scene near a small kiosk at Gg. Nangka on Jl. TB Simatupang.

According to the officer, the gang had been surveilled by the undercover policeman, First. Lt. Budhi Herdi, head of the theft section of the South Jakarta Police detectives, and his men for the past three days.

"The rendezvous was set up here," he said.

When Lukman got suspicious and tried to speed away on his motorcycle, Budhi and his men fired several warning shots to stop him, Rycko added.

"But Lukman still tried to escape and was shot in the back of his head."

A 1998 military identification card, a bayonet, and five M-16 bullets, were found on Lukman's body.

Police also confiscated a red Toyota Kijang van with license plate number B 1683 BM, a Honda Astrea Grand motorcycle, number B 3191 JV, and a Casio wristwatch from the gang.

From Fauzi's wallet, the officers found Rp 4.6 million (US$615) in cash.

No other identities of Lukman were available, but a police source said that he was a former Military Police officer.

Officer Budhi said that his men are still tracing the location of the M-16 rifle.

Budhi recalled that the operation started on Friday evening when he introduced himself to Lukman via telephone as a potential buyer.

Later, Lukman sent numerous messages via his beeper in a language code that he could not understand until colleagues from the another unit translated them, Budhi said.

"I then met with Lukman at Kalibata Shopping Mall on Saturday. He assured me that since he was a former military officer, I would get no trouble with the stolen cars," he said. (ylt)