Serviceman held for stealing

JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested a low-ranking Army officer yesterday for allegedly stealing the purse of a shopkeeper on Jl. Kramat Bunder, Central Jakarta.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Abubakar Nataprawira said that the soldier, identified only as SB, stole the purse of Gina Aminah.

The suspect stopped the taxi that was taking Gina home on Jl. Sumur Batu from Senen railway station. The woman had just arrived from her hometown Purwokerto in Central Java.

SB asked Gina for her identity card. When Gina produced it, the suspect grabbed her purse and escaped on a motorcycle.

The taxi driver, Sukanto, then chased down the man and knocked him off his motorcycle in front of St. Carolus hospital on Jl. Salemba.

Sukanto then took the man to a nearby police precinct.

"The suspect is now in the custody of the Jakarta Military Police," Abubakar said. (jun)