Robbery at choreographer's house

BOGOR: At least five people broke into a Japanese choreographer's house at Jl. Ciliwung Blok A2 No.8, Bogor Baru housing complex, early Wednesday and made way with cash, two cellular phones, one wristwatch and jewelry, all worth hundreds of millions of rupiah.

Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Setyo Wasisto confirmed the robbery, saying the police had questioned Iyah, the family's maid.

Quoting Iyah, 18, Setyo said the robbery took place at about 4:30 a.m. "I heard a strange noise at the front gate and I was about to open the front door to find out what was going on, when some unidentified men broke down the door. One of them asked me where my boss was sleeping," Iyah said as quoted by the officer.

Trembling in fear, Iyah pointed out where her boss Joko Heru Santoso slept. Joko's wife Imiko, a Japanese choreographer, was in Japan.

It took the robbers only seconds to break into Joko's room. One of them pointed a gun at Joko, while the others stole items from his bedroom, the police said.

According to Joko, the thieves stole rupiah, U.S. dollars and yen.

The robbers escaped in a Toyota Kijang van that was parked outside the house.

Officer Setyo said that police had identified the culprits, who had probably operated in other areas in Bogor before. --JP