Three teenagers detained for attempted robbery
JAKARTA (JP): Three teenagers were arrested for attempting to rob taxi drivers in two separate incidents in Central and South Jakarta, a police officer said yesterday.
City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said the three, identified as Dadang Suhendar, 17, Hadi Sirwanto, 17, and Ardiyanto, 18, were all unemployed.
"The three youths will face a maximum of 12 years in jail for violating Article 365 of the Criminal Code on armed robbery," he said.
In the first incident, Dadang, a native of Depok, West Java, tried to rob Yusnaldi, a driver for PT Dian Taxi, early yesterday morning, Aritonang said.
Dadang allegedly hailed the taxi after midnight in Depok and asked the driver, Yusnaldi, to take him to Jl. Raden Saleh in Cikini, Central Jakarta.
Dadang then stopped the taxi on Jl. Pasuruan in Menteng, Central Jakarta and threatened the driver with a knife. "Fortunately, Yusnaldi was very brave. He bit the suspect's left hand, which was clamped over his mouth and hit the suspects right hand, causing him to lose his grip of the knife", Aritonang said.
Dadang attempted to flee upon realizing his efforts had failed, but was pursued and apprehended by Yusnaldi and some witnesses to the crime, he said.
The suspect was taken to a nearby police station. He had been beaten by the crowd who apprehended him.
The other two arrests were made in front of Perguruan Cikini high school on Jl. Duren Tiga in South Jakarta about 11 p.m. Thursday.
Aritonang said that Hadi and Ardiyanto had attempted to rob Amin, the driver of a Trans Primkoveris taxi.
The two hailed the taxi in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta and asked Amin to drive them to Mampang, South Jakarta, he said.
Amin, like Yusnaldi, resisted the attack, but fled after one of the suspects threatened him with a Samurai sword.
A police patrol found the two suspects at the scene of the crime, attempting to start the taxi.
"During interrogation we found out that neither of the two men knew how to drive," Aritonang said. (cst)