Repeat offender mobbed at hospital

BOGOR (JP): Visitors at PMI general hospital mobbed a repeat offender for allegedly stealing Rp 83,000 (US$31.32) from a patient on Sunday night.

One visitor, Nurhayati, said she witnessed 25-year-old Zulfikar enter a hospital room, where a young boy was being treated, and snatch the money.

The boy, who was accompanied by his mother, Ani, was left alone in the room.

"Zulfikar later opened the patient's bag, which was put inside a cupboard, and took the money," Nurhayati said.

She located the boy's mother but when the pair returned Zulfikar had fled.

A group of people, who heard about the theft, immediately began searching for the man, who was found not far from the room.

He was mobbed before the group handed him over to hospital security guards. All the money was returned to Ani.

"The value of the money is small but I badly need it," Ani said.

The head of hospital security guards, Kurdi, said Zulfikar was treated at the hospital two months ago after people in Cileungsi mobbed him for alleged thievery. (41/hhr)