Robbed in Pasar Raya

Robbed again! On two separate occasions I have been robbed in Pasar Raya department store. Both times I lost camera equipment. Some friends have suggested that people in Blok M, South Jakarta, are familiar with my routines such as drinking coffee in a particular Cafe and taking photographs in the Blok M area. This may be true and now that I have no camera equipment left to steal, I probably will change my routine.

Pasar Raya department store prides itself on being an up- market store that attracts not only locals but expatriates too. Unfortunately it is situated in an area that is notorious for crime and so the store is also an ideal place for thieves to operate.

The security office on the third floor has a huge collection of photographs of thieves caught in the store and the parking area. Budi, the head of security admits that camera surveillance equipment in the store is not operational and hasn't been for over a year. Budi assured me that they would look into the matter and that I would be contacted within a day or two.

Typically, there has been no words. Budi speaks with an affected drool that is indicative of the retired army man here. We are a nuisance (upset customers) and no doubt spoiling his afternoon when he'd rather be paying golf. I also faxed a copy of the letter that I planned to send to The Jakarta Post to the head of public relations, but again there was no response, just a wall of silence.

I assume that thieves know that the security is lax in this particular store and that robbing customers is relatively easy in the food court area. People sit and relax while thieves prowl the area looking for a likely victim. It is an unpleasant thought, but if security officers catch only a small percentage of thieves, then there must be a lot of them considering the quantity of photographs I saw in the security office.

As well as that, robbing customers in a department store is not as risky as robbing someone in the street. Those who got caught in a store do not get mobbed to death by an angry crowd. Department stores may have to guarantee customers safety, but they should be held accountable if little effort is made to maximize security.

Pasar Raya department store is not a safe place to have a coffee or something to eat. If you plan to shop there, be careful and don't stop to take the weight of your feet. You are being watched!

JOHN C. TORR

Jakarta