Vendor shot to death in robbery chase

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

A newspaper vendor was shot to death, while another man was injured by stray bullets on Friday in a shooting between a marine and a group of armed robbers in front of the compound of the paper company PT Aspex Kumbong on Jl. Narogong in Cileungsi regency.

The robbers managed to escape on two motorcycles after seizing a plastic bag containing over Rp 106 million (about US$12,770) from Ngatini Atmo Pawiro, an employee of Budi Purnama, a supplier of PT Aspex.

The vendor, identified as Ujang Muis, 25, died due to a gunshot wound to the chest. Another bullet hit the left arm of Momo, an assistant to a driver of PT Aspex.

Ngatini told reporters she was assigned to take the money from her central office in Jakarta, accompanied by Navy Chief Sgt. Sumijan. Upon their arrival at PT Aspac compound in Cileungsi, she got out of the car and suddenly two people came toward her.

"They put a pistol to my forehead and seized the plastic bag with the money in it and my purse. I had Rp 250,000 and a mobile phone in the purse," Ngatini said.

Sumijan chased the robbers and fired at them using an FN 46 pistol.

Cileungsi Police chief First Insp. Hadi Santoso said the investigators suspected the robbers used a Colt 38 millimeter pistol. But he could not say from whose pistol the stray bullets were fired.

A witness said the incident took place at about 8:30 a.m., when the sound of gunfire stunned the neighborhood.

"I thought it was the sound of firecrackers ... but, next, a newspaper vendor who was standing in front of me fell to the ground, while the four robbers raced off in the direction of Kelapa Nunggal," said Saleh, a karedok (raw vegetable in peanut sauce) vendor.