Schoolboys tried for car theft

Schoolboys tried for car theft

JAKARTA (JP): An elementary school boy and two junior high
school students came before the Bogor State Court on Wednesday on
car theft charges.

The defendants were identified by Antara only by their
initials: SD, 13, the elementary school boy, and SZ and TP, both
15. The boys were brought to the courthouse by prosecutor A.
Ghozali Hudori.

In Wednesday's trial, presided over by judge Syafrida, the
prosecutor said that in December last year the three defendants
stole a Toyota Kijang van from the parking lot of the Bogor Plaza
shopping center.

He said they took the car to the house of a friend, and then
the four traveled to Jakarta in the car.

From Jakarta they allegedly returned to Bogor, with TP taking
the stolen car to his house, the prosecutor said.

The father of TP, who gave evidence at the trial, said he
himself had reported his son to the police. The boy's father said
he had become suspicious after he saw the car parked outside the
family home.

The defendants were released on bail after being held in
police custody for two days.

"We did it just for fun, because we wanted to drive around on
New Year's Eve," TP told reporters outside the court. He said he
and his co-defendants had not had any intention of stealing the
car.

"We only borrowed it," he said, his remark drawing laughter
from people attending the trial.

The judge adjourned the trial until April 19 when the
prosecutor is scheduled to address the court on sentencing.(bas)