Two wounded in armed robbery
JAKARTA (JP): A father and son were severely wounded in an armed robbery yesterday at their residence on Jl. Damai Gg. Musyawarah No. 27 in Pondok Labu, Cilandak, South Jakarta.
Five men brandishing sharp weapons reportedly attacked Achmad, 40, and his son Ari Kurniawan, 18, when they broke into the house at 2 a.m.
The two victims are currently being treated at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital. Achmad was still listed in critical condition as of 1 p.m. yesterday.
South Jakarta Police detective chief Maj. Rycko Amelza Daniel told The Jakarta Post that the five unidentified men broke into the house through the front door using a crowbar. They reportedly rushed into Achmad's bedroom, asking for money.
"The robbers got away with Rp 85,000 in cash, a 15-gram gold necklace and car documents," he said.
Before they ran away, Achmad tried to stop them, and that was when the men attacked him and his son, Rycko said.
Achmad suffered from a severe slash wound to the chest and Ari sustained cuts to his head and stomach.
A witness, Achmad's youngest son Halim, reportedly told police that he heard his father yell at the intruders: "What are you doing here?"
"That's why we think that the alleged robbers must have been known by the victims," Rycko said.
A group of youths at the housing complex reported to the police that they saw the five men walk toward the house.
"The five men were saying something about getting money back from the victim," the youngsters were quoted by Rycko as saying.
There is a possibility that the case is not a pure robbery, Rycko added. "The case may have something to do with some unpaid debts."
"Hopefully the case, which will be handled by officers of South Jakarta Police Precinct and the Cilandak Police Subprecinct, can be solved soon. We have men at the hospital to dig up more information on the case."
Separately, Pulogadung police captured a man yesterday suspected of murdering a high school student a week ago at Pisangan Lama under the elevated Cawang-Tanjung Priok toll road in East Jakarta.
The suspect, Yayah, 19, has reportedly admitted to having killed Iskandar Habib, 16, a Panglima Jayakarta high school student, over unpaid debts.
"Iskandar's parents became suspicious when he didn't return home and reported it to the police. The last time they saw Iskandar was when he went out with Yayah to a place in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta," a police officer, who asked not to be named, said.
After thoroughly interrogating Yayah, he eventually admitted to have killed Iskandar because he could not afford to return money he had borrowed from the victim.
Lt. Col. Syahrir Kuba of the East Jakarta precinct said Yayah admitted to killing Iskandar with the help of three of his friends.
"We're currently looking for the other suspects. Hopefully we can reveal more information soon." (edt)