Shortage of security staff cause of rampant train crimes: KAI
Shortage of security staff cause of rampant train crimes: KAI
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon
State railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia has blamed a
shortage of security personnel for rampant acts of vandalism and
crime on trains and supporting facilities.
First. Insp. Sabadan, the head of Cirebon railway police, said
recently that his unit had only seven men, which he claims is
inadequate given the vast area under the unit's responsibility.
The unit is responsible for the safety of passengers in the
northern zone stretching from Tanjung Rasa Station in Karawang
regency, West Java to Brebes Station in Central Java, and the
southern zone spans to Prupuk Station in Tegal, Central Java.
There are 34 stations overseen by the Cirebon operational
division, consisting of two major, seven regular and 25 small
stations located along the routes. Rail travel is a popular and
cheap mode of transportation, especially for tourists or for
those visiting areas that do not have airports.
Crimes included theft of railway track and signal cable at
railway warehouses, smashing of windows on passing trains and
graffiti on the walls of carriages. Other common criminal acts
included extortion and theft. The perpetrators usually pretended
to be singing beggars, floor sweepers, or food and souvenir
vendors, who pass through carriages continuously throughout the
train journey.
Sabadan said that the Cirebon operational division operates
six trains; five Cirebon Express executive trains and one Tegal
Arum economy train. "The number of men is just not enough if we
assign them to the stations or other railway facilities," said
Sabadan.
Sabadan said that all trains, consisting of six to 12
carriages, were now escorted by two Polsuska (Special Railway
Police) officers.
"Each train should be guarded by at least four officers," he
said. To protect passengers from crimes, Sabadan added that the
railway police unit would conduct routine and large-scale raids
on criminal suspects and thugs.
The railway police detained at least 30 thugs who were
pretending to be beggars or floor sweepers in the Cirebon station
compound and on board a train in a series of raids on Thursday.
"Some of them said that they were food and souvenir vendors. But
after interrogating them, most could not show their
identity cards or permission letters from the station. Legal
vendors or cleaning service workers are usually provided with
some sort of authorization letters from the operational
division," said Sabadan.
"They were operating in groups of three or four when we caught
them. They usually steal passengers' belongings when they are
unaware or asleep. Besides that, they also extort money from
passengers using sharp weapons," he said.
The thugs usually act when the train is approaching the
Haurgeulis area in Indramayu regency. The quiet location, far
from activity, is a dangerous area favored by the thugs.
"The place is located exactly in the middle of a vast rice
plantation area that is very quiet and they have ample time to
commit their crimes," said Sabadan.
According to Sabadan, the biggest criminal case the Cirebon
Railway police have handled was when a woman was thrown out of a
moving train in Indramayu, after her belongings were seized by a
gang of thugs.
The woman, believed to be a returning immigrant worker,
survived the ordeal although she sustained some serious wounds.
All of her valuables were stolen.
Meanwhile, a spokesman from the Cirebon operational division,
Suhartono, acknowledged that the limited number of security
personnel was the main obstacle in securing various strategic
railway facilities and passengers from crime.
To overcome the limitation, PT KAI regularly coordinates with
the police to obtain additional numbers of personnel.