Teenager killed for robbery

JAKARTA (JP): A teenager was mobbed to death in Bekasi after being caught attempting to rob a building materials shop on Sunday morning, a City Police spokesman said yesterday.

Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said that Iptikar, 17, died of his injuries on the way to the hospital. He was seriously wounded all over his body, particularly his head.

Aritonang said Iptikar had forced his way into a shop owned by Halim Wijaya on Jl. Bintara Jaya, Bekasi Barat, West Java.

"He nearly made off with 75 plastic buckets, five two-kilogram cans of wall paint, and painting equipment," Aritonang said.

Halim's servant, Sukri, saw Iptikar just as he was about to carry the stolen goods out of the shop's gate, Aritonang said.

Locals, who were preparing Independence Day games, ran toward Iptikar when they heard Sukri's scream for help, he said.

Aritonang said that so far no one had been found responsible for Iptikar's death. Iptikar was also a local.

"The police are still investigating. Some witnesses have been questioned," he said.

Aritonang said the police were also still investigating a robbery that happened in South Jakarta Sunday morning.

He said an unknown number of burglars broke into H. Romli's house on Jl. Setiabudi while the inhabitants were visiting Romli's children in Pamulang, Tangerang, West Java.

"The robbers stole Rp 1.3 million (US$481) in cash and jewelry worth about Rp 15 million," Aritonang said.

The family returned home to find their house ransacked late in the afternoon, and called the police, he said. (cst)