Students rob bus passengers for drugs, liquor

Students rob bus passengers for drugs, liquor

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The desperate need for money to buy drugs and liquor has
driven three senior high school students to frequently rob and
attack bus passengers.

"We had to rob the passengers because we really need the money
to buy drugs and liquor. We only hurt the passengers if they
refuse to give money," said Irwansyah from behind the bars at
Batu Ceper Police subprecinct on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old Irwansyah, a second year student at the Giri
Putra senior high school in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, was
arrested along with friends Bambang, a first year student, and
Andika, a third year student, of the same high school.

The three students stopped a Bulan Jaya minibus, serving the
Kalideres-Balaraja route, after the vehicle left Kalideres bus
station on Friday at around 10:30 a.m. Afterwards, brandishing
knives they began to threaten three passengers identified as Imam
Alusi, Safrudin and M. Junar and forced them to hand over their
belongings which included wallets, watches, bags, jackets and Rp
30,000 (US$2.9) in cash.

One of the students stabbed Iman in the stomach who later
shouted to attract the attention of other passengers. They soon
jumped off the minibus and ran in the direction of Jl. Ampera.

"Coincidentally, the minibus passed Batu Ceper Police
subprecinct and passengers reported the robbery. Several officers
were deployed to chase them," said the subprecinct chief Insp.
Endro Subagio.

Irwansyah and Andika were arrested on the same day at 12:30
p.m. not far from the crime scene but Bambang managed to escape.
The police also managed to seize all the evidence along with
several bottles of liquor. Bambang was finally found on Monday in
Batu Ceper.

Endro said the three students already had criminal records.
Irwansyah was once arrested by Tanah Abang Police for possession
of sharp weapons and sentenced by the court to five months in
prison. Andika and Bambang were also arrested by Tangerang Police
in November last year for mobbing and wounding a school student
in Tangerang.

Endro warned students to stay away from drugs and liquor.

"Once they get addicted to drugs and liquor, they will not
only face health problems but also legal sanctions," he said,
adding that the three students would be prosecuted as adults and
not juveniles.