West Jakarta Dubbed 'Gotham City' as Local Government Claims Security Situation Remains Under Control
JAKARTA — A series of brutal street crimes in the West Jakarta area has recently left residents feeling unsafe during their daily activities. The rise in robberies, motor vehicle thefts involving firearms, and brawls resulting in stabbings has led West Jakarta to be nicknamed ‘Gotham City’—a reference to the fictional, crime-ridden metropolis in the Batman film series.
Many of these incidents are motivated by robbery for economic gain, with perpetrators showing no hesitation in inflicting sadistic injuries on victims who attempt to resist. A particularly high-profile firearm-related theft occurred on Sunday (10/05/2026) on Jalan Duri Raya. During the incident at a meatball stall, the perpetrator brandished a pistol and fired three warning shots to prevent the victim from pursuing them.
The Chief of Kebon Jeruk Police, Commissioner Nur Aqsha, confirmed the incident involving a firearm. “It is true, the incident occurred, and CCTV shows the shots being fired. Regarding the firearm, we are currently investigating whether it is real or a replica,” Aqsha stated via telephone on Monday (11/05/2026).
Days earlier, a similarly harrowing incident took place near the Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) Kemanggisan branch in Palmerah on Thursday (07/05/2026). During the daytime, thieves used a firearm to threaten bystanders after their theft attempt was discovered. Two perpetrators managed to escape with the stolen motorcycle.
Furthermore, violent crimes involving sharp weapons have left an even bloodier trail. A gang of armed robbers attacked a citizen parking a motorcycle by the roadside, pushing the victim into a ditch and slashing their back before fleeing with the vehicle. Another incident of armed snatch-theft occurred on Jalan Mangga Besar IV, Tamansari, on Sunday (03/05/2026), where a group of four individuals forcibly took a gold necklace from a victim at machete-point.
“This gang is working in collaboration with three others, one of whom works in a jewellery shop acting as a fence and has committed similar crimes repeatedly,” said the Chief of Tamansari Metro Police, Commissioner Bobby M. Zulfikar, on Friday (15/05/2026).
Attacks involving sharp weapons have also been reported across the Grogol Petamburan, Cengkareng, and Tambora areas. One notable case involved an attack on a group of teenagers near Grogol Station, which left one teenager bleeding profusely on the pavement.