Police shoot suspect of car theft gang

JAKARTA (JP): Police shot dead a man yesterday who was believed to be a member of a car theft syndicate, City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said.

Aritonang did not give the identity of the dead suspect but said yesterday apprehending officers were forced to open fire in self-defense.

"He attacked the officers with a machete," he said.

The incident occurred during a police pursuit of the suspect in the Kalisari district in Central Jakarta yesterday morning.

The pursuit of the suspect was the result of information obtained by police after they arrested four suspected members of the syndicate in neighboring Kemayoran district on Monday, Aritonang said. They were being detained at West Jakarta Police precinct.

Three other suspected members of the gang are still at large.

Five of the stolen cars -- three Honda Genio's and two Toyota Great Corolla's -- were seized as evidence.

He said the gang was believed to be responsible for at least 12 thefts in Jakarta in the last two months. Their targets included houses in West Jakarta, Condet, Kemayoran, Jl. Bungur and Ujung Menteng. They usually broke into houses and tied up all the inhabitants. In many cases, they injured their victims.

Aritonang asked for anyone who might have fallen victim to the gang to come forward and help identify any of the cars if they belonged to them. (07)