Sniffer dog helps catch watch thief

Sniffer dog helps catch watch thief

JAKARTA (JP): With the help of a police sniffer dog,
detectives arrested an 18-year-old man for allegedly stealing
wristwatches worth about Rp 2.5 million (US$666) from a Matahari
department store yesterday.

The dog traced the suspect, Tedy Suryanta, back to his house
in Johar Baru, Central Jakarta, several kilometers away from the
store at Mega Mal Pluit in North Jakarta, City Police Spokesman
Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said.

The man allegedly stole seven Guess watches on Tuesday night
after breaking into the store as it closed and smashing a display
counter.

"The store's management was at first uncertain about the
identity of the culprit," he said.

"Police officer who arrived at the crime scene dusted the
fingerprints left on the counter and then used the dog to help
trace the suspect."

The case was reported about 9 p.m. Tuesday to the Penjaringan
Police subprecinct, which then called for backup from City Police
Headquarters.

Based on the management's suspicion of Tedy, who was an
employee of a store in the same building, police decided to visit
his house on Jl. Rawa Tengah in Johar Baru early yesterday.

Initially, Tedy denied all the allegations made against him,
even though police allegedly knew that his fingerprints matched
those left on the counter, Aritonang said. And the dog
"confirmed" that the scents at the crime scene and the man's
house were the same.

He said the suspect argued that he had never visited Matahari
that day.

Tedy allegedly admitted his wrongdoing about 3 a.m. after
officers located the stolen watches, which were hidden at the
house and his workplace, he said.

"Tedy confessed that he came in the store just before it
closed. He went straight to the Guess counter which was already
unmanned as the shop assistants had left. He smashed the counter,
took the watches and left the store."

Police believe that Tedy observed the store's operations
before the theft and later planned to sell the watches.

Tedy was detained at the Penjaringan Police precinct. (cst)