Robbers target Arab tourist

BOGOR: Six robbers armed with machetes robbed an Arab man in Tugu Utara village, Bogor early on Thursday morning and managed to escape with a handycam, two cellular phones, a camera, US$4,000 and 500 riyals in cash.

The victims, Reda MM Ma'rie, 53, and his child had been on vacation for three days at the villa when the incident took place. Reda serves as a manager of an Arabian aviation firm.

The robbers broke into the villa at 4 a.m. after they managed to stun the guard, Ace, 31. They then threatened Ma'rie and his child with the machetes.

Cisarua police subprecinct chief First Insp. Ahmad Ridwan hinted the robbers were the same group as those who usually committed such crimes on Mondays and Thursdays. They allegedly come from Jampang Surade subdistrict, between Cianjur and Sukabumi in West Java.

"We have arrested one of the group members, named Ipay, whose task is to provide information to the group," he said. Police also confiscated from him a Toyota Kijang van and a TV set. But, four other members with the initials, De, 32, Sam, 28, I, 27, Us, 26, remain at large. -- JP