Three shot dead, 68 nabbed for street crimes

Three shot dead, 68 nabbed for street crimes

JAKARTA (JP): Police officers shot five alleged criminals,
three of them dead, and arrested 68 others for their involvement
in a street crimes in the capital in the period between Nov. 25
and Dec. 2, a police officer said on Thursday.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang said the
officers were forced to shoot the three dead because the men had
been extremely violent when committing crimes at street
junctions, on toll roads and in public transportation vehicles.

"The three dead victims were among five suspects shot by the
officers. The two others sustained only light injuries,"
Aritonang said.

He said one of the dead victims, identified as Tulus Hutahaya,
28, was shot after allegedly extorting money from a bajaj (three-
wheel motorized vehicle) driver and wounding two pedestrians in
the downtown Kota area in West Jakarta on Tuesday.

The remaining two, who were not identified, were shot
separately after robbing passengers on a Kopaja minibus in
Cideng, Central Jakarta, and a minivan in Cawang, East Jakarta.

The two wounded victims were identified as Sobur, 17 and
Marintang Sitorus, 22.

Aritonang said nine people residents accused of crimes were
beaten up. "Four of them were beaten to death," he said without
giving further details except that the other five were eventually
handed over to the police.

He said the arrested suspects also included some considered as
"instigators". "Their actions started with the sparking of fake
disturbances on the streets and ended up with their friends
extorting money from frightened motorists," he said.

The spokesman said most of the 68 suspects were arrested in
East and South Jakarta.

He added officers would continue to take stern action, such as
shooting, against criminals, but said that all the measures would
be taken in line with the existing laws.

"Such stern actions are aimed at reducing the rising number of
crimes on the streets and improving security on the streets," he
said.

He said the police, backed up by soldiers from the Jakarta
Military Garrison, would intensify their deployment at street
junctions, on toll roads and at places of worship in areas prone
to crime.

"We cannot station officers on all streets. But we are
patrolling the streets every day," he said without mentioning the
number of officers deployed.

Many city residents, including Governor Sutiyoso, have
expressed concern over the rising crime wave on the capital's
streets. (jun)