Suspected motorcycle thief shot dead

Suspected motorcycle thief shot dead

JAKARTA (JP): A suspected vehicle thief was shot to death by a
motorcycle owner, a police sergeant, at a housing complex in
Rawabadak in North Jakarta yesterday morning.

"The suspect, identified as Edi Susanto, 33, was shot in the
right side of his back and died about two kilometers away from
the shooting scene," said Maj. Bachtiar Tambunan, head of the
North Jakarta police detectives.

The gunman, Chief Sergeant M. Zaini, lives on Jl. JJ in the
housing complex.

According to the police investigation, Edi and his accomplice,
who is still at large, broke into the sergeant's house at about
4:30 a.m. yesterday by cutting open a padlock on the gate and
took Zaini's motorcycle which was parked in the yard.

"Knowing that someone had broken into his house, Zaini took
his gun and went outside to see what was happening," Bachtiar
said.

As the two alleged thieves turned on the motorcycle's
ignition, Zaini run after them with gun in hand and fired warning
shots, asking the men to stop, Bachtiar said.

"He then fired another shot at the men on the motorcycle. The
suspects fell from the motorcycle and ran in separate
directions," said the officer.

Sgt. Zaini then took the motorcycle home, thinking that the
suspects had been slightly injured.

"However, several hours later, a neighbor told him that a man
with gun shot wound in the back was found dead by residents who
ran after the criminals on Jl. Alur Laut," Bachtiar said. (bsr)