Special program planned against vehicle theft

JAKARTA (JP): Police plan to launch a special operation to crack down on vehicle theft in response to the growing trend of the crime, City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto said.

"The escalating vehicle theft rate requires us to stage the special operation. Today it seems that many criminals focus their activities on vehicle theft," Hindarto told reporters yesterday in Bekasi after inducting Lt. Col. Herry Pribadi as a new Bekasi Police chief.

Hindarto said at present at least six motorcycles and two cars, mainly "Kijang" vans, were reported missing everyday across the city.

The two-star general did not reveal when the operation will be launched.

Hindarto called on the public to participate in surveillance of their property by providing them with necessary safety apparatus because police could not safeguard every vehicles due to limited human resources..

Earlier on Thursday, police announced they had busted two gangs of vehicle theft, "the gang of Didi Ambon" and "the gang of Surawi". Surawi's gang comprised of retired servicemen.

Police confiscated at least 12 vehicles of various brands from the gangs. Some of their members are still at large.

During their operation, vehicles thieves usually used the so- called "T-letter" key to break open the car door in around three to five minutes.

While the involvement of servicemen in vehicle theft is indeed a reminiscent of the crime in the middle of 1993, when city police cracked down on vehicle theft ring.

Then city police captured more than 150 vehicle thieves, including 30 servicemen, in an operation, said to be the biggest operation in the anti-vehicle theft history of the country. At least 350 stolen cars were seized in the operation.

Herbin

Hindarto installed Lt. Col. Herry Pribadi as new Bekasi police chief to replace Lt. Col. Basyir Barnawi who had been promoted as private staff of National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman.

Herry, who graduated from the Police Academy in 1975, spent most of his police career in the intelligence directorate.

He had earlier served as chief to the general crime office of the investigative directorate at the city police headquarters.

During the induction ceremony Hindarto also underlined a need to catch the murderer of six family members of Herbin Hutagalung, although he admitted that it was not an easy task since "the murderer might have changed his identity.

"To be honest it is very difficult to locate the murderer because he may have changed his identity," Hindarto said.

The murder of Herbin's family, taking place early this year in Pondok Gede district, remain one of dark cases for the city police. (12/jsk)