Six Indosat employees detained for stealing

JAKARTA: Six employees of telecommunications giant Indosat have been detained for pilfering Rp 420 million (US$45,161) worth of goods from the company's warehouse, the chief of the Jakarta Police's Criminal Investigation Department, Comr. Firli, said on Monday.

The employees allegedly stole 4,200 prepaid cell phone cards valued at Rp 100,000 each from the company warehouse in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, between April and June 2004, said Firli, adding that the theft had been reported to police after an internal company audit in January revealed that the cards were unaccounted for.

The six were identified as Esa Indra Prawira, Mochtar, Dian Suhendra, Heri Siswanto, Nurman and Dedi Kharisman. They are being charged with violating Section 363 of the Criminal Code on theft, which carries a maximum sentence of eight years. --JP