Tangerang Regency Hit by Motorcycle Theft as Residents Turn into Street Vigilantes
Motorcycle theft incidents have surged in Tangerang Regency, Banten. Frustrated residents, tired of the crime, have suddenly taken on the role of street judges, not hesitating to condemn the perpetrators through mob violence. CNNIndonesia.com summarises a string of mob attacks on suspected motorcycle thieves that occurred in Tangerang Regency over the past two days. Since the start of this week, at least three mob-attack incidents against suspects have been reported in Kresek sub-district, Legok, and Sindang Jaya.
The first incident occurred on Tuesday (3/3) in Rancailat Village, Kresek District. A man identified by the initials AA (45) was caught red-handed stealing a Honda Scoopy motorcycle belonging to a resident. Video footage circulating shows residents pursuing the suspect into a paddy field before eventually capturing him and beating him until injured. AA was subsequently secured by police after having become a target of the mob. Kresek Police Chief AKP Sitta Mardongan Sagala said the suspect, a resident of Matraman, Central Jakarta, has been secured along with a small bag containing a number of tools. “The bag contained the tools used by the offender to carry out his act and a motorcycle belonging to the victim,” Sagala said. For his actions, the arrested offender was charged under Article 477 of the Indonesian Penal Code (KUHP), with a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The next day, Wednesday (4/3), a similar incident occurred in Legok District. A suspected motorcycle thief was detained by residents in the parking area of a minimarket after allegedly attempting to take away a Honda CRF motorcycle belonging to a shopper. The suspect was beaten until his clothes were torn off by the residents. One resident, Tama Amrulloh, said the incident began when residents caught the suspect attempting to steal the Honda CRF motorcycle belonging to a minimarket visitor. “I chased him, kicked him until he fell, and was beaten by other residents. This is not the first time; it happens often, almost ten times already,” Tama said. Residents found items in the suspect’s bag, including a machete and a T-shaped key believed to be used to break into vehicles.
On the same day, a similar incident also occurred in Sindang Jaya District, Tangerang Regency. An amateur video shows dozens of residents surrounding the motorcycle thief and beating him badly. In the video, residents are also heard threatening to kill the suspect identified as F. The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Pasar Kemis Police Sector, Inspector Ahmad Dasuki, said the offender’s actions were spotted by the victim who had just arrived home and found his motorcycle missing. “When the victim looked for his vehicle around the scene, not far away he saw two suspects attempting to drive away his motorcycle,” Dasuki said. Dasuki said one suspect with the initials A managed to flee from the pursuing residents. “And the suspect with the initials A is still being sought,” he said. For his actions, the suspect was charged under Article 477 of Law Number 1 of 2023 KUHP, with a maximum prison sentence of seven years.