Train robber arrested

JAKARTA (JP): City Police detectives recently arrested a train robber, who preyed on women passengers wearing jewelry.

City police detective chief of violent crimes (Jatanras) Comr. Tagam Sinaga said on Tuesday the suspect, identified as Bambang, 22, was arrested late last week at his residence in the Kebon Singkong subdistrict in Klender, East Jakarta.

"Bambang's modus operandi would be pretending to be a passenger of trains plying the Greater Jakarta routes. He robbed women of their jewelry, mostly gold necklaces and rings. On some occasions he managed to rob jewelry that contained up to 10 grams of gold," Tagam said.

The suspect then sold the gold to street vendors.

"When we arrested him, there was no gold on him, but there was a small machete, which he used to threaten his victims with," Tagam said.

Bambang admitted during questioning that he had carried out robberies on trains at least 20 times before and said there were some 20 other train robbers at large.

Tagam said police are now hunting for the other robbers on trains which Bambang has identified. (ylt)