Police use facial composite to identify condolence-money thief in East Jakarta
Police are seeking to identify a woman suspected of stealing condolence money in the Kramat Jati area of East Jakarta (Jaktim), using a facial composite. ‘Identification is not yet final, we are checking it using a facial sketch. The investigation is still ongoing,’ said Fadoli, the head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of Kramat Jati Police Station, when contacted in Jakarta on Friday.
During the investigation, investigators used a facial composite of the suspect based on witness statements at the scene.
Fadoli said the suspect has not yet been secured. Nevertheless, police continue to trace the identity of the woman who was captured in a video that circulated on social media.
‘We have conducted further investigations, but there are no results yet. Perhaps because the case went viral, the suspect might have gone far away,’ said Fadoli.
According to him, investigators are still collecting information from the public to help uncover the suspect’s identity. However, some information initially received turned out not to match the facts on the ground.
‘Yesterday, there were some reports that she was known to someone, but it was not true,’ Fadoli said.
Meanwhile, the amount of condolence money allegedly stolen is not yet known exactly, because envelopes of donations from mourners have not yet been opened and counted by the family.
‘Because the donations in the envelopes have not yet been opened and counted by the family, the amount is unknown,’ he said.
Previously, a woman who stole condolence money in the Kramat Jati area of East Jakarta is believed to have carried out similar acts at two different places earlier.
‘Yes, that’s right, the same as the two previous incidents,’ said AKP Fadoli, head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of Kramat Jati Police Station, when contacted in Jakarta on Wednesday (4 March).
Police said the same perpetrator had carried out similar acts at least twice in different districts using the same modus operandi, namely pretending to mourn. Thus, the offender has committed the crime three times in total.
In all three incidents, the suspect is believed to have used the same pattern, targeting funeral homes and exploiting the bereavement to carry out her malicious intent.
Based on preliminary investigations, the woman came to the funeral home pretending to know the deceased’s family. She then blended with other mourners to avoid arousing suspicion. When observers were inattentive, the suspect allegedly took condolence money donated by guests.
Investigators are now collecting additional evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements from three different locations.
The incident went viral on Instagram’s @info_cipayung. The CCTV footage shows the culprit fleeing after carrying out her ill intent at a funeral home on Jalan Dukuh IV, Kampung Dukuh, Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, on Monday, 2 March.