Two thieves arrested at city police headquarters

JAKARTA (JP): Two men were arrested yesterday morning while allegedly trying to steal valuable items from cars parked at the city police headquarters.

The two men were apprehended by city military police personnel, led by Capt. Santoso, following a tip-off from parking attendants.

The thieves reportedly had with them a specially-designed key, able to open many types of car doors. They are also said to have been carrying a toy cellular phone, about 50 grams of jewelry and Rp 215,000 (US$94) in cash.

Police said that Amir, who claimed to be a student of the Atmajaya University in Yogyakarta, was wearing a fashionable long-sleeved shirt and smart trousers with the shining jewelry and fake phone in his hand.

He pretended to be the boss, while Darmawan acted as his driver, police said.

According to two parking attendants, Fadli and Iyud, the two suspects attracted their attention because they kept on moving for several minutes in the sea of cars at the parking lot.

Fadli said Amir appeared to be making a phone call while walking between the lines of hundreds of cars, while his "driver" followed behind.

"They just walked to and fro in the parking lot. Once in a while Amir had a serious look at the interiors of the cars while talking on the phone," Fadli said.

The parking attendants reported the strange spectacle to the military police officers, who then came to the scene and apprehended the two suspects.

In the past, valuable items, such as cameras and handbags, have been reported missing from the cars at the police headquarters. (bsr)