Teenagers nabbed for taxi robbery

JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Pasar Emas in the village of Muara Bhakti in Babelan, Bekasi, detained a female teenager and her accomplice for allegedly attempting to rob a taxi driver on Saturday night.

Ela and Andi, both 16, were detained while attempting to escape in the taxi. The taxi driver, Rasto, 41, managed to escape from the robbers, Bekasi Police chief Lt. Col. Adjie Rustam Ramdja said.

The alleged robbers' accomplice, Dede, was able to flee the scene and is still at large, the officer said.

According to the driver, the three teenagers entered his taxi in Ancol at 11:30 p.m. and asked him to drive them to the Bekasi bus terminal.

He was not suspicious of the teenagers because one of them was a female, he said.

When the taxi had almost reached the terminal, the passengers asked him to drive to Babelan.

When the taxi entered a deserted street, Andi, who was sitting next to the driver, pulled out a knife and held it to the driver's throat.

"He then said 'give us money, give us money,'" the driver said.

Rasto was able to escape the taxi and scream for help.

Andi then took over the wheel while Dede fled, Adjie said.

Alerted by Rasto's screams, local residents rushed to the scene and apprehended Ela and Andi and handed them over to the Babelan Police. (bsr)