Thief burned to death

BOGOR (JP): An angry mob burned to death a man for stealing electronic goods from a neighbor in the village of Rawa Panjang, Bojong Gede, Bogor on Tuesday.

An eyewitness said that a new neighbor, Mardi, reported that a thief had broken into his house and made off with electronic goods early Tuesday morning.

Local residents assumed that Gunawan, known to be a member of a criminal gang, was behind the theft.

The residents later noticed Gunawan, accompanied by two friends, carrying the stolen goods, consisting of one television set, a tape recorder and a VCD player set.

The three were about to get onto an angkot public transportation van near the Citayam railway station when the residents intercepted them, said Hasan, the eyewitness.

"Gunawan admitted to having stolen the goods from Mardi's house," Hasan said.

The angry mob then dragged the three to a nearby soccer field, Hasan said. "Gunawan's two friends escaped."

Police confirmed the killing. "The mob collected used tires before pouring gasoline onto Gunawan's body. We received the report after the victim was killed," Bojong Gede Police chief Second Insp. Soeharto said. (21/sur)