Theft Victim Protests Police Dropping Case, Claims Strong Evidence Exists

Jakarta – Iskandar Halim Munthe, the legal representative for Bangun Paulus Tudungta, has lodged a strong objection against the Central Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s decision to discontinue an investigation into an alleged theft reported by his client. He argues that the cessation of the investigation was premature, as the suspected perpetrator, identified as VL, has never been questioned by investigators. The case began when Bangun Paulus Tudungta noticed suspicious transactions in his bank account on 17 February 2026. According to account mutation data obtained from the bank, a series of transfers and cash withdrawals totalling Rp19.25 million occurred between 05.23 and 05.40 WIB. After tracing the location of the ATM, the victim visited the convenience store where the transactions took place and reviewed the CCTV footage. “The recording shows a person, suspected to be VL, conducting transactions at the ATM at the exact time the transactions were recorded on the victim’s account,” Iskandar stated in a written release on Sunday, 28 June 2026. Despite the existence of bank mutation records, CCTV footage, and information pointing to the alleged involvement of VL, the police report was discontinued. The termination was formalised through a letter dated 20 April 2026, citing that the incident was deemed not a criminal act. The legal team has questioned the basis for this decision, noting that investigators had not yet examined VL as the reported party, nor had they requested information from the bank or the convenience store that holds the CCTV footage. Iskandar assessed that the conclusion was reached without a thorough investigation. “The investigation was stopped before the suspected thief was even examined, despite the existence of transaction evidence and CCTV footage that should have been tested through witness and suspect examinations,” he said. The legal team also believes that halting the investigation potentially eliminates the opportunity to fully uncover the alleged criminal act of theft.