Singaporean robbed of $100,000

JAKARTA (JP): A visiting Singaporean businessman was robbed of US$100,000 in front of the ITC Roxy Mas shopping center on Jl. K.H. Hasyim Asyhari in Central Jakarta on Friday afternoon, a police report said.

According to Asst. Supt. Sukarmin Suryo from the Gambir Police station, where the victim, Mohamed Fuad bin Abdul Samad, filed the report, Mohamed was robbed by two men on a motorcycle when he stepped out of a Silver Bird taxi and was about to cross the street to go to the shopping center.

"After grabbing the money which was in a paper bag from the Grand Hyatt hotel (where Mohamed was staying), the two unidentified men sped off on their Honda Bebek motorcycle in the direction of the Gadjah Mada area," the officer quoted Mohamed as saying.

The Gambir Police officer handling the case could not be reached on Saturday night to update the progress of the robbery investigation.

Hendry, a close friend of Mohamed, told The Jakarta Post by telephone that the victim had gone back to Singapore on Saturday, but had offered a reward to anyone, including police officers, who could return the stolen money. (bsr)