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)