Two arrested for killing bird's nest businessman
Two arrested for killing bird's nest businessman
JAKARTA (JP): A businessman dealing in swallow nests was
killed yesterday morning by two robbers in his four-story
shop/house in the Robinson shopping complex in Pejagalan, North
Jakarta.
The suspected killers, who failed to take anything from the
scene, were arrested while hiding in the attic of a nearby shop.
Police detectives found them there four hours receiving the
robbery report.
The victim, identified as Setyawan Gani, 54, was found dead of
a stab wound to the forehead and a 20-centimeter cut along his
back, Lt. Col. R. Abubakar, the North Jakarta police precinct
chief, who led the investigation, said.
Police seized three sharp weapons, including a knife and a
machete, from the two suspects, who are identified as Sunaryon
Effendi, 23, and Wahyu Hidayat, 18.
The two men are employees of a shop located three buildings
from the scene of the crime in the shopping complex on Jl.
Jembatan III.
Abubakar said Gani was found in his room on the third floor of
his business by police at around 8 a.m., after the two housemaids
working there reported a robbery at their workplace.
Abubakar said members of the special team called Unit Reaksi
Cepat were dispatched to the scene of the crime as soon as the
report came in.
"The puzzle resolved itself when one of the housemaids
informed us that she knew one of the perpetrators," Tri added.
The unit's detectives and police dogs then found the two
suspects hiding in the attic of the nearby shop building.
Sunaryon told police he first started planning to steal the
expensive swallow's nests from the victim's office about a week
ago. One kilogram of swallow's nest fetches Rp 2.7 million
(US$1,190).
The first floor of the four-story shop/house was used as a
garage, the second for offices, the third as living space for the
victim and the top floor for the housemaids.
"There were only three people living at the shop. The victim's
wife, a Hong Kong citizen, and their three children are still in
Hong Kong," Abubakar said.
The family members are expected to arrive here today.
During police questioning, the two suspects said that they
broke into the house through the roof at about midnight. They
locked the maids in a small room on the top floor, cut the
telephone wire and were sorting through the nests to get the best
ones when the owner, Setyawan, discovered them around 6 a.m.,
Abubakar said.
"Afraid of being arrested, they took out their weapons and
attacked the shop owner," he said.
One of Setyawan's employees arrived, around 7 a.m., and rang
the bell at the gate for entry.
When the maids tried to answer the gate, the suspects
prevented them. But about half an hour later, one of the maids
got away and ran downstairs to answer the gate and raise a
warning.
"That is when the suspects tried to run away and ended up
hiding in an attic," Abubakar said.
If found guilty, the two men could face 15 years in prison.
(bsr)