Two Thieves Steal Special Needs School Students' Savings in Bantul for Online Gambling
Police have apprehended two men who stole tens of millions of rupiah and a laptop from the Gunung Kelir Special Needs School (SLB) in Pleret, Bantul. Both perpetrators are repeat offenders specialising in school burglaries in the Bantul area, and the stolen money was used for online gambling.
Pleret Police Chief, AKP Rudianto, explained that the theft was discovered by a witness, Maryuwana, who was about to clean the SLB premises on Friday, 22 May, at around 6am local time. Upon entering the teachers’ room, Maryuwana noticed something amiss with the door.
He said the padlock on the teachers’ room had already been forced open. Suspicious, Maryuwana entered the room to check and found the desks and drawer contents scattered. The school subsequently reviewed CCTV footage to verify the incident. The thief was found to have taken student savings and a laptop.
From the CCTV footage, a man entered the teachers’ room and ransacked the drawers. Approximately Rp10 million in student savings and a laptop unit were reported missing. Feeling aggrieved, the SLB management reported the incident to Pleret Police. Following up on the report, officers immediately launched an investigation.
The two perpetrators were eventually apprehended on Saturday, 30 May. Evidence seized included the unsold laptop and the clothing worn by both suspects during the crime.
The suspects have been identified as RB, 21, and MC, 22, both residents of Pleret. Their modus operandi involved damaging the teachers’ room door with a screwdriver and, once open, entering to grab valuables inside. Investigation revealed the duo are indeed specialists in school burglaries.
Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at Pleret Police, Iptu Medi P. Irsiyanto, added that examinations confirmed both are recidivists in school theft cases. During their operation, the pair had specific roles; RB acted as the executor, whilst MC waited outside with a motorcycle.
Medi stated the stolen money was split between them, and each suspect has since spent their share. The Rp10 million in stolen cash was divided equally, and by their own admission, it has all been spent on day-to-day living and online gambling.
For their actions, the suspects are charged under Article 477, paragraph 1, letters (f) and (g), in conjunction with Article 23, paragraph 1, letter (a) of Law No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code. Both face a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.