Robbery and murder in Bekasi driven purely by economic motive

Jakarta — The Metro Jaya Regional Police stated that a robbery and murder of a 28-year-old victim (initials S) in the Prima Lingkar Asri residential estate, Jatibening Village, Pondok Gede District, Bekasi City, on Monday, 2 March, was motivated purely by economic factors.

“At present, we have not identified any motive other than theft or murder committed as part of a series of thefts by the suspect,” said Kombes Pol Iman Imanuddin, head of the General Criminal Investigation Directorate of Metro Jaya Regional Police, when met in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Iman explained that the suspect assaulted both victims because he was startled when they discovered him entering the house to commit theft. When the female victim switched on the lights and encountered the suspect, he spontaneously attacked her. “Subsequently, the suspect immediately assaulted the male victim, who had just woken up and was sitting on the bed,” he said.

The suspect faces charges under Article 479(3) of Law Number 1 of 2023 (the new Criminal Code), which addresses robbery with violence resulting in death. “The suspect faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. The suspect has already been detained and is currently undergoing the detention process,” Iman stated.

The General Criminal Investigation Directorate of Metro Jaya Regional Police revealed that the suspect used a crowbar to kill the victims. “A pair of scissors was used to prise open the window. The crowbar was also used by the suspect to strike the heads of both the female and male victims,” he said.

Additionally, police have recovered two mobile phones belonging to the victims. One has already been sold and one was being used by the suspect. “We also found a laptop and money from the sale of gold jewellery. We also recovered USB flash drives containing CCTV footage and CCTV recordings of the suspect’s journey to and from the crime scene,” he added.