Police shoot car thief

JAKARTA (JP): Police shot dead a man and arrested his friend yesterday for allegedly stealing a Kijang van on Jl. Pengadegan Barat, South Jakarta.

The Chief of the South Jakarta detectives Maj. Rycko AD. said Damiri, 30, was shot dead for resisting arrest, while his friend, Aji Reza, 31, was arrested while in the van.

He said a police patrol saw Damiri acting suspicious standing next to a parked van belonging to a local resident, with another man, later known as Aji, in the van.

The police seized two knives a screwdriver from Aji who was trapped in the van, he said.

During preliminary interrogations, Aji admitted to having stolen 11 cars in the past three months, Rycko said.

The police were hunting for the cars' buyers, he said.

Damiri lived in Babak village, Pekalongan regency, Central Java, while Aji lived on Jl. Kampung Bidara Cina, in East Jakarta, he said. (jun)