Two car thieves nabbed

JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives gunned down two suspects in the early hours of yesterday in Sunter, North Jakarta, for allegedly stealing a Mercedes Benz sedan.

According to City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang, one of the suspects pointed an FN .45mm gun at the officers, who then had no choice but to shoot the two.

The suspects were identified as Budiyanto alias Martono, 31, a resident of Sunter Agung, and Husein, 29, a resident of Ancol Selatan.

A source at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital said that Budianto had six shots in his body and Husein seven.

"Having a gun aimed at you by suspected criminals is risky for police. They have to defend themselves," said Aritonang.

He said that both were thought to have stolen a 1987 red Mercedes 300E sedan belonging to a businessman who ran a car rental service in North Jakarta.

The officer said the two rented a car along with a driver from the businessman, who was only identified by police as DH, on Tuesday for Rp 600,000 (US$226.40).

The suspects were asked to be driven to a house in the Puncak resort area in West Java.

They got the driver drunk and then made off with the car. The driver reported the incident to his employer, who then contacted the police, said Aritonang.

Officers went to an address in Sunter given by DH and found a similar car but with different license plates.

At around 2:45 a.m. yesterday, police saw the suspects were about to leave the place in the car. When an officer fired a warning shot in the air, one of the men pointed a gun at the police, Aritonang said.

Budianto and Husein were just two of six suspects in a series of car thefts in the city.

The other four have been identified but are still at large, Aritonang said. (cst/04)