Seven alleged robbers arrested

JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested seven men because they were believed to be members of an armed robbers group in the Prumpung red-light district in East Jakarta on Saturday, an official said.

City police detectives unit chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo said on Monday that the seven were arrested at about 1 p.m. after on-duty detectives became suspicious of an overloaded taxi on Jl. Ahmad Yani.

Alex said the police immediately ordered the taxi to stop and told the seven passengers to get out.

He said the officers became increasingly suspicious upon seeing that the passengers were covered in tattoos and when some of them failed to produce identification cards.

The suspects, according to Alex, first declined to answer the police's questions, but gave up after their sharp weapons were found on the back seat.

"Saturday's arrest was really a lucky break for us as the alleged robbers were not our main target," he said.

From the group the police confiscated a sword, a machete, scissors and a screwdriver -- believed to have been used by the group in their wrongdoings.

"The weapons are our main evidence so what else could they argue about if they're about to resist arrest," Alex said.

The seven suspects were identified as Rudy, Ujang, Erwin, Ryan, April Jauhari, Suhadi and Ujen. The seven, who are apparently all known as hoodlums at Kampung Melayu bus terminal, are being detained at city police headquarters for further questioning.

However, they told reporters that they just finished entertaining themselves in the Prumpung red-light district and were heading to their respective houses in Kampung Melayu.

Since they all were heading in the same direction, they decided to take one cab for efficiency.

They also denied possessing sharp weapons.

"None of us brought any sharp weapons as we were looking for entertainment in the area," Erwin, one of the suspects, said.

During preliminary questioning, however, the suspects reportedly confessed to committing at least 10 crimes over the last two weeks. Police have yet to confirm their allegations.

"They only admitted to 10 crimes. Most of their 'achievements' were armed robberies of either houses, passersby or motorists on Jl. Pramuka, Jl. Matraman and in the Prumpung area (all in East Jakarta)," Alex said.

According to Alex, the group reportedly operated at between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (emf)