Suspected vehicle thieves arrested

DENPASAR, Bali: Badung Police apprehended separately on Saturday three people who are allegedly responsible for at least 15 motorcycle thefts in the area over the past three months.

Police detective chief Sr. Insp. Husein Abubakar identified on Sunday the three as Syamsul Hadi, Iwan Gendut and Ahmad Novel. The first two were alleged to be the robbers while the latter the broker who received the stolen vehicles.

"Iwan was arrested when he was trying to escape a police road check on Jl. Subur, riding on a motorcycle which he had just stolen. We had to shoot him in his leg to prevent him from escaping," Husein said.

Husein added that after interrogating Iwan, police learned about the other accomplices and their whereabouts. (zen)