The 'Comrade-in-Arms' Pretext Behind the Condolence-Money Theft
An alleged theft of condolence money at a wake in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, is under investigation after a woman allegedly pretended to be a mourner and claimed to be the deceased’s ‘comrade-in-arms’. The incident occurred on Jalan Dukuh IV, Kampung Dukuh, Kramat Jati, and footage circulated on social media.
The suspect is accused of exploiting the bustle at the funeral home to steal condolence money, placing it into her own bag before fleeing. “She carried out the act by pretending to know the family of the deceased and blending in with other mourners,” said AKP Fadoli, head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at Kramat Jati Police, as quoted by Antara on Thursday (5 March 2026).
Police have visited the scene to conduct initial investigations. In addition to taking statements from the family and several witnesses, officers are reviewing CCTV footage from the surrounding area. “We have also checked the scene to obtain information from the family and to review the CCTV,” Fadoli added.
Officers are still pursuing the suspect and working to identify her. Fadoli urged the public to remain vigilant, including when at funeral homes, and to ensure that condolence money is managed by trusted individuals and monitored in rotation.
The police say the alleged offender has acted on multiple occasions. It is believed she has carried out three incidents in total, using the same modus operandi of feigning bereavement.
“Yes, that’s correct, the same as the two previous incidents,” said AKP Fadoli, noting that the same suspect was involved in at least two earlier thefts in different areas.
The two prior incidents occurred on Jalan Damai in the Lubang Buaya area on 22 December 2025 and on Jalan Bambu Kuning in Bambu Apus on 4 February 2026.
The so-called ‘Comrade-in-Arms’ pretext appears to have targeted the family of Nyai Hasanah (45) at around 12:30 WIB on Monday, 2 March, at a wake on Jalan Dukuh IV in Kramat Jati. Hasanah said all of the condolence money was taken by the suspect.
“Yes, the perpetrator is a woman who claimed to be visiting as a mourner, knew us, and then everything disappeared—the condolence money was gone, with nothing left,” Hasanah told reporters at the scene, as reported by Antara on Thursday (5 March).
Hasanah said her mother-in-law died around 04:00, and the suspect arrived around 08:00. The woman had been present from the morning, when the house was calm and mourners had not yet started arriving in large numbers.
The offender is said to have stayed until shortly before the funeral. While at the wake she sat quietly and occasionally watched the surroundings.
To the victim’s family, the woman claimed to be a friend of the victim’s sister-in-law and described herself as a ‘comrade-in-arms’ when taking aid such as staple foods and the Kartu Jakarta Pintar (KJP) welfare programme.
Hasanah did not suspect anything, believing the woman knew the family. The suspect then stole the condolence money after claiming she needed to use the toilet.
The family only realised the loss around 12:30. Residents gave chase, but the suspect had already fled.
Video footage of the woman has circulated on social media. CCTV appears to show the suspect fleeing the scene after carrying out the theft.