Tangerang mobs kill five thieves

Tangerang mobs kill five thieves

JAKARTA (JP): Five men believed to be notorious thieves
specializing in stealing motorcycles in Tangerang were beaten to
death by angry residents in three different incidents in the
early hours of Sunday.

Tangerang Police chief Lt. Col. Pudji Hartanto Iskandar
confirmed the cases but did not reveal whether the police had
arrested any of the locals.

Pudji was quoted by Antara as saying that the five victims
were Hidayat, Hasanudin, Haris I Kusuma, Ipong Kijen and Daniel,
aged between 18 and 36.

The first two were identified as residents of Labuhan
Maringgai district in Lampung, Sumatra, while the others "lived
in the area", the officer said.

The five victims were caught red-handed attempting to steal
motorcycles, Pudji explained, adding that they were all on the
local police's most wanted list.

"Daniel, for instance, had been under surveillance for quite a
long time because locals feared him.

Our records state that he had stolen at least eight
motorcycles from residents," the officer said without further
explanation.

Daniel was shot in the leg and then pummeled to death by
Jatiuwung residents after he beat a motorcycle driver on Jl.
Bayur and tried to speed away with the bike at around 1:20 a.m.
on Sunday.

According to Pudji, the suspect approached his victim, a
factory worker, and pretended to ask for an address in the area.

"The victim who had just left work hastily stopped his
motorcycle and prepared to assist Daniel when the latter suddenly
struck him and grabbed the bike," the officer said.

A police officer witnessed the incident and fired warning
shots to stop Daniel. Realizing that these were being ignored,
the officer aimed his gun at the suspect's leg.

"Aware of the incident, locals rushed out of their houses and
badly beat Daniel. The dying suspect finally lost his life on the
way to Tangerang General Hospital," Pudji said.

Blockade

Almost at the same time, residents of Pekayon village in
Cipondoh got on their motorcycles, and chased two men -- Hidayat
and Hasanudin -- who they saw stealing a motorcycle that belonged
to a local, he said.

The two were blocked and then attacked by the angry mob, Pudji
added.

The police arrived at the scene several minutes later but only
in time to take the two dying suspects to the hospital.

Hidayat and Hasanudin both died a few minutes after they
arrived at the hospital, he said.

At 2:10 a.m., residents of Kayu Gede village in Serpong
attacked Haris and Ipong, who were also spotted grabbing a
motorcycle, Pudji said.

The deaths of the five criminals by mobs in a single day in
Tangerang, west of here, is thought to be the first time so many
killings have happened in the area.

Officer Pudji strongly urged the local residents to stop
enforcing such "jungle law" as it would leave the police in no
position to investigate thefts.

He stressed that people should immediately hand over anyone
caught stealing to the police.

"If the thieves die, the police cannot build the case because
the link has been cut," Pudji said. (bsr)