Robbers target motorists again

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

E.A. Mohammad Yudin, a resident of Ciledug, Tangerang, was passing Jl. Deplu Raya, Bintaro, South Jakarta, at 11 p.m. on Wednesday evening on his way home when three unidentified men riding an RX King motorcycle forced him to pull over.

They brandished a machete, forcing him to hand over his valuables, including his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle.

In a matter of seconds, the robbers managed to flee the scene along with his motorcycle.

With the help of an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, Yudin reported the case to the nearby Pesanggrahan Police Station.

Police immediately tracked down the robbers. A plainclothes police detective happened to see an unidentified man riding the motorcycle fitting the description provided by Yudin, but its number plate had been removed. Two other unidentified men were riding alongside him on an RX King motorcycle.

The men riding the RX King motorcycle immediately fled once police tried to stop them, but the one riding the stolen motorcycle was unable to flee.

Instead of surrendering, he threatened the officers with his machete.

"He escaped. That's why we shot him in the leg. As he did not stop we shot him in the back. He died instantly at the scene," said First Insp. Richard Lodewijk, head of the Pesanggrahan Police Detectives Unit.

From the suspect, police seized the motorcycle, a wristwatch and a wallet belong to Yudin.

Earlier on Monday, four unidentified people riding an RX King motorcycle knocked over a motorcyclist named Ferli, 29, at the same spot on Jl. Deplu Raya.

The robbers managed to escape the scene along with Ferli's motorcycle.

"We have yet to conclude whether the robbers who took Ferli's motorcycle are the same as the group who robbed Yudin," Richard said.

Also on Thursday, two taxi drivers were robbed in separate places in South Jakarta and East Jakarta.

Hambali Harun, 33, a driver of Pusaka Nuri taxi number 010, suffered serious injuries to the mouth and elbow after two robbers pounded him with a hammer.

The robbers, posing as passengers, asked Hambali to take them to Tegal Parang in Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta.

But, once they arrived there, the robbers asked Hambali to turn over his money. Hambali refused and resisted by screaming for help. The robbers hit him with a hammer and escaped without being able to take any money.

Another robbery targeting a taxi driver occurred on Jl. TB Simatupang, Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta.

Warno, 36, a driver of Jakarta City taxi was threatened with a machete by two robbers who posed as passengers.

The robbers then forced him to turn over whatever money he had, which amounted to Rp 330,000 (US$40), and fled the scene.