Timber stolen in Pati

PATI, Central Java: About 1,500 locals felled some 3,000 trees and looted the chopped teakwood from a forest in Jinggotan village north of here, woodland director Sukarjan Suriana said on Friday.

"Residents raided and vandalized the forest until Friday morning. They also destroyed several electric poles," Sukarjan said.

Nothing much could be done to stop their actions as they were armed with sharp weapons and threatened people who attempted to calm them, he added. The angry mob also set up roadblocks.

"The stolen logs were about 48 years of age. Those people will probably use the wood as material for furniture," Sukarjan added. (har/edt)