Robbers flee with cash, jewelry

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Unidentified armed men broke into a house of a resident of Jl. Ade Irma Suryani in Pematang Siantar regency on Tuesday morning and stole hundreds of millions of rupiah and jewelry after overwhelming the housemaid.

The owner of the house, Surya Alatas, also known as Aliang, is an advisor to the local office of the Pemuda Pancasila youth organization.

The maid, identified as Ponise, said the five members of the gang were armed with handguns, a sickle and a crowbar.

Witnesses said they saw a black Isuzu Panther van frequenting the area before the robbery.

Soon after the owner left the house to take his children to school, the van stopped and the passengers "raided" the house.

Locals said they had no idea that the passengers of the van were criminals.

Medan Police deputy chief of detectives, First. Insp. A.E. Simanungkalit said police had yet to identify the criminals. He believed they were thieves from another town. (39/sur)