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)