Police shoot, arrest car theft suspects

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)